Elvira Cortez Arredondo, passed on to eternal rest peacefully in the hands of our Lord and our Lady on June 20, 2016 at the age of 95. Elvira was born on October 7, 1920 to Agustina Lopez Cortez and Pablo Cortez. With the passing of her mother when she was one year old, Elvira was raised by her grandmother, Candelaria Martinez Lopez, grandfather Refugio Lopez and her aunt and uncle, Josefina and Telesforo Cortez, who were the breadwinners for a large family that included three siblings and one cousin during the Depression. Elvira's Tejano roots stem from her great-grandmother, Margarita Lopez Martinez, who was 13 years old during the siege of the Alamo in 1836, when San Antonio was part of Mexico. Ancestors go back to the 1770's when San Antonio was under Spanish rule.

Elvira attended Travis Elementary, Hawthorne Jr. High and San Antonio Vocational and Technical High School. Elvira's childhood memories were those of her grandmother, her family and church. At nine years old in 1929, Elvira remembered attending the opening of the Majestic theatre and the opening of Little Flower Basilica still surrounded by farmland. Elvira and her sister, Ester, were Hijas de Maria at San Fernando Cathedral. In 1943, Elvira married the late Luciano Arredondo, and like many women of that time, she experienced the anxieties of her husband fighting in World War II. Through the 1940's, 1950's and early 1960's Elvira gave birth to seven children. Coined as the "mother of all mothers," Elvira was a devoted mother and housewife. While raising seven children, she excelled in cooking, baking and sewing by reading books, the newspaper and by just being talented. As an accomplished seamstress, to augment the family income, she sewed a wide range of clothes for many, including wedding, bridesmaid and prom dresses, business and leisure suits, majorette uniforms and most of her daughters' clothing. Elvira would see a beautiful gown or business suit at Vogue or Frost Bros. and would say "I can make that" and she would go home and make it. With an artistic eye, Elvira's sewing creativity was expressed in sewing beautiful bridal gowns and Quinceniera dresses, as well as Halloween costumes, all of which were sewn perfectly with her own precise measurements and without patterns. She also created splendid altar cloths and banners that graced San Fernando Cathedral. Elvira was well known for baking many wedding cakes, and her prized specialty, "polvorones" at Christmas. And, of course, there was always a birthday cake for her children. Always cooking dinner and known for her old style Mexican cooking, hot salsa, and great flour tortillas, many nephews, nieces and neighborhood children found their way into her kitchen. Everyone blessed to know Elvira knew she was a very colorful lady, who loved bright colors, enjoyed Fiesta, dancing, and just being around family and people who enjoyed life. She was her happiest preparing for many barbeques and parties, and spending fun-filled moments with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also enjoyed watching our own San Antonio Spurs.

A devout Catholic, Elvira prayed the Rosary daily and never missed Sunday Mass, rain or shine. Elvira was a member of the Guadalupanas and an active parishioner at Our Lady of Sorrows Church where her children attended Catholic school and where she continued to attend Mass in the last years of her life. Elvira demonstrated a special devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and, in 1975, she fulfilled her lifetime dream to visit the Basilica de Guadalupe in Mexico City.

Once, Elvira mentioned that although her mother died when she was one year old and was raised by her grandmother, she always knew that she had her eternal Blessed Mother in heaven.

Elvira was preceded in death by her husband, Luciano Arredondo, daughter, Linda Arredondo Cirilli, sister, Ester Gonzalez, brothers, Pablo (Paul) Cortez, Pedro (Pete) Cortez and brother/cousin, Taylor Cortez. She is survived by her children, Luciano Arredondo Jr. (Norma), Richard Arredondo, Irene Lisera (Antonio), Maria Dolores Gonzalez (Jimmie), Edward Arredondo (Jackie), and Rudolph (Rudy) Arredondo (Michelle). Elvira is also survived by grandchildren, Ronnie and Kathy Arredondo, Christine Lisera Garcia (Joe), Patty and Diane Lisera, Sarah and Jay Arredondo, and great-grandchildren, Rafael and Michael Arredondo, and Nicholas Jordan Arredondo. Elvira touched many lives through her kindness, prayers, and everlasting strength and faith. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her. May she rest in peace.

The family thanks the care and compassion of nurse Blake Smith and the staff from Holy Savior Hospice. Our gratitude to the Eucharistic minister from St. Anthony de Padua Catholic church, Maria Lopez, whose weekly prayerful moments in Spanish were especially dear to Elvira. A very special and heartfelt appreciation to our sister, Maria Dolores Gonzalez, for her many years of outstanding care, dedication and love as caregiver to our mother. And a thank you for the support and patience of Jimmie Gonzalez, Maria Dolores' husband.

FUNERAL SERVICES

Visitation will begin Tuesday, June 28th at 6:00 P.M. in The Angelus Chapel with a Rosary to be recited at 7:00 P.M. Funeral Mass will be offered Wednesday, June 29th at 9:30 A.M. at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in the name of Elvira C. Arredondo to Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, 3107 N. St. Mary's St., San Antonio, Texas 78212.