Victoria Gregoria Cuellar Avila

Victoria Gregoria [Zamora Cuellar] Avila went to her heavenly home at 9:18 am, Wednesday, June 11, 2025.  Victoria (also affectionately known as "Vicky") was born in San Antonio, Texas on November 17, 1932, the third of eight children of Refugio Cuellar, originally from Aguascalientes Mexico, and Ysabel Zamora Cuellar, originally from Zacatecas Mexico.  Refugio and Ysabel lived on Cherry Street where they met and eventually married.  Refugio was a gardener for the Southern Pacific Railroad and Victoria traveled with her father at a young age helping him with the landscaping and gardening activities at each of the Southern Pacific Train Stations from New Orleans to San Diego.

Vicky attended Briscoe Elementary School #19, Joel Chandler Harris Junior High School, and San Antonio Vocational and Technical High School, which was affectionately referred to as "Tech".  At Tech, Vicky took pre-nursing courses and was a member, and Secretary, of the Pre-Nursing Club, and a member of the Red Jackets all three years, reaching the rank of Major in her Senior Year.  Also at Tech, Vicky met Fernando Avila Junior, the love of her life. They graduated from Tech in May 1950. On November 24, 1950, Vicky and Fernando were married at St. Philip of Jesus Catholic Church. During the early years of their marriage, they gave birth to and raised six children, Gerald Thomas (1952), William Thaddeus (1954), Fernando Timothy III (1956), Elizabeth Ann (1958), Cynthia Marie (1959), and Joseph Anthony (1961).

Vicky has been described by so many family members and friends as the epitome of love, with a servant's heart, a tireless work ethic and the mind of a philosopher, a truly loving, compassionate, kind, warm, smart, strong, determined, resilient and spiritual woman of service.  Later in life she received Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior and endeavored to live a life pleasing to God. She will be missed but her impact on the lives she helped bring into this world will go on.

Aside from raising her family with Fernando, Vicky spent 45 years as a Labor and Delivery Nurse at the downtown Santa Rosa Hospital, usually working the 7 am to 3 pm shift.  During her 45 years at Santa Rosa, she participated in bringing in an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 births in San Antonio.

She loved life, as evidenced by her 45 years as a labor and delivery nurse helping another new life to enter this world.  Vicky began her nursing career as a nurse working at the downtown Baptist Hospital after graduating from Tech.  In July 1954, she moved to Santa Rosa Hospital as a nursing service float.  She went on to Labor and Delivery and worked there for 26 years as a Licensed Vocational Nurse.  In 1980, after being told that she had received all the promotions that an LVN could qualify for and that for the next 20 years of her career the best she could hope for were cost-of-living adjustments to her salary. Vicky's response was to take a leave of absence and enrolled in San Antonio College to earn an Associate of Arts in Nursing qualifying her to be a Registered Nurse. In the spring of 1984, Vicky returned to Santa Rosa as an RN.  In 1984, she was recognized for 30 years of service at Santa Rosa. By January 1984 she was a Team Leader on the surgical floor supervising three LVNs. She noted then that by 1984 patient care had become more patient and family oriented and more personal that when she began in nursing. Vicky retired from Santa Rosa in 1999.  In 2000 she began providing care for Fernando as he began battling stomach cancer until his death on June 17, 2004.  After Fernando's passing, she began working for her son, Fernando III, in his Pain Management Practice where she was affectionately referred to as "grandma" by the staff and patients.

It is clear from her life that she loved music, theater, symphonies, ballet, opera, sports, and travel, and was gifted in science, chemistry, and math. In the early years of their marriage, Vicky spent many Easter Sundays, Mothers Days, Fathers Days, and July 4ths at baseball stadiums watching Fernando pitch in the semi-pro baseball leagues around San Antonio, including, among others, the Spanish American League and the Hot Wells League.  They attended many Tech v. Lanier Chili Bowl Games and countless San Antonio Missions Baseball and Major League Baseball Pre-Season Exhibition games at Tech Field and the old Mission Stadium.  After their children were born, spring and summer days were spent watching their kids, and eventually grandkids, play in youth baseball, softball, football, basketball, track meets, orchestra and band concerts.

Victoria spent her life in service not only to her family and her profession, but also for decades to her community at St. Philip of Jesus as a member of the Guadalupanas, Cub Scout Den Mother, Boy Scout Troop Leader, Brownies and Girl Scout Troop Leader, Vice President of the St. Philip of Jesus Catholic School Parents and Teachers Council, and the Catholic Youth Organization Sports organization.

Victoria was preceded in death by her husband, Fernado Avila Jr., by her parents, Ysabel and Refugio Cuellar, her mother-in-law, Esperanza Avila, and father-in-law, Fernando Avila Sr., her brothers David and his wife Isabel, Richard (and his daughter Rebecca), brothers Charles, Michael, and Joe, and her sister Cecilia Muñoz, sister-in-law Dolores, granddaughter Audri Monique McEwen, and her Cuellar family grandparents, Zamora family grandparents, and other Cuellar and Zamora family members.

She is survived by her youngest brother, Daniel, sisters-in-law, Yolanda Cuellar, Aurora Cuellar, Yung Cuellar, and Betty Jo Cuellar, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren, including: oldest son Gerald and his wife Grace, son William, son Fernando III and his wife Beverly, daughter Elizabeth Hernandez and her husband Joaquin Hernandez, daughter Cynthia McEwen and her husband Gregory McEwen, son Joseph and his wife Marie, as well as grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren, including:  William II, Victoria Morgan and her husband Christopher Morgan, great-granddaughter Shawn Catherine Morgan, great-grandson Christopher Morgan Junior, grandson Fernando Avila IV and wife Jeannette, great-grandson Ari, great-granddaughter Charlotte, granddaughter Jennifer, grandson Joaquin Fernando Hernandez III, great-great-grandson Aidan, granddaughter Marisela, grandson Roberto Hernandez and his wife Veronica, great-grandsons Robert Matthew and Joshua, great granddaughter Raquel, great-great-granddaughter Alicia, grandson Adam Michael Avila and his wife Nina, great-grandsons Teo and Carlo, granddaughter Ashley Nicole Haywood and her husband Brian Haywood, their children Brian Anthony Haywood II, Irie Haywood, Kobe Haywood, and Kingston Haywood, granddaughter Amanda McEwen, grandson Gregory Maurice McEwen Jr., his wife Krystal and their two children Tua and Kaia, and granddaughter Caitlin Avila.

She leaves behind a wonderful legacy of a truly loving, kind, generous, compassionate, resilient person who served and helped so many people from the moment they entered this world and beyond.  She will be missed but her impact on the lives she helped bring into this world, on her family, friends and community lives on in the hearts, minds, and souls whose lives were touched by her love, compassion, kindness, service, care, and guidance.

FUNERAL SERVICES

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Visitation and a Rosary will be held from 5:00pm to 8:00pm

with the Rosary to be recited at 6:00pm

The Angelus Funeral Home

1119 N. Saint Mary's St.

Thursday, June 26, 2025

Visitation and Funeral Mass will be held at

St Philip of Jesus Catholic Church

142 E. Lambert St.

with visitation beginning at 9:00am followed by the

Funeral Mass to be offered at 10:00am

Burial will follow at San Fernando Cemetery No. 2