Maria de Jesus Norzagaray Cabrera, known by most as Titi, age 86, passed away peacefully on January 3, 2026, with her family at her bedside after a two-month illness.
Titi was born in Cuidad Obregón, Mexico. She was the eldest daughter of six children of Ismael Norzagaray Laborin and Rafaela Leal Leon. She began school early and ultimately skipped four grades, allowing her to graduate from college at the age of 18. She graduated with honors from Academia de Nuestra Senora Del Perpetua Socorro in Mexicali, Baja California, with a degree in accounting. She also later completed a master’s degree in Spanish. She worked for 10 years for La Compañía de Luz del Norte, an American electric company, as an account manager in Mexicali before marrying the love of her life, Mark Anthony Cabrera, to whom she was married for 52 years.
Titi and Mark began their married life in Colorado Springs, CO where Mark served as a captain in the United States Air Force. They were later stationed at Aviano Air Force Base in northern Italy where they lived in the city of Pordenone. They enjoyed traveling throughout Europe over the next three years, and it was in Pordenone where her only daughter, Claudia Elisabetta, was born. Besides speaking her native Spanish, Titi learned to speak English and Italian fluently. Shortly after the birth of their daughter, the family returned to the United States and lived in Colorado Springs for seven years.
The family moved to Huntsville, AL, in 1979, where Titi happily lived for the remainder of her life. Through the years, she continued traveling with her husband and daughter and visiting her beloved family in Mexicali as often as she could. She would always light up a room with her warmth and smile. She was a founding member of the Huntsville Newcomers Club, an active member of the Huntsville Encore Women’s Club, the Huntsville International Women’s Club, her south Huntsville neighborhood garden club, and the Huntsville Spanish Club. She worked as a Red Cross volunteer at Claudia’s various schools and was a devoted ice rink mom during Claudia’s 10 years of competitive figure skating. She later became a permanent substitute teacher for the Grissom High School language department. She also worked as a private Spanish tutor for local high school students and also taught Spanish in the Huntsville adult education program. She and Mark were among the first families to form Good Shepherd Catholic Church, where she was an active member, part of the world missions team, and a regular volunteer at the bookstore. She was an avid collector of dolls from all over the world and over 300 nativities. She enjoyed sewing, needlepoint, cross stitch, and embroidery. She was an amazing cook, especially cuisine from Mexico and Italy.
Most of all, Titi was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She is survived by her daughter, Claudia Agnew; son-in-law, Scott Agnew; grandchildren, Katarina Raquel and Nicholas Mark; and sisters, Elvia Gladys, Matilde, Norma Celia, and Maria del Carmen Norzagaray. She is also survived by her dear cousins, Guadalupe Lopez Tamayo and Mario Tamayo Garcia and their children. The family would like to thank all those who supported them and Titi during her final days.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, January 15, at Good Shepherd Catholic Church on Chaney Thompson Rd., Huntsville. Her funeral will be held at Good Shepherd Catholic Church on Friday, January 16, with ceremony starting at 10 a.m. and Catholic mass starting at 10:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial be made to Good Shepherd Catholic Church Missions Team, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, or Catholic Charities.
