Dolores "Lola" Garza Quintero passed away suddenly at age 85 on November 10, 2020 and entered into the Kingdom of Heaven where she is reunited with her Beloved Husband, parents, siblings and other family members. Her full and vibrant life began on October 29, 1935 in San Benito, Texas. As a small child, the family moved to Corpus Christi where they made their permanent home. She attended Corpus Christi public schools and at age 13, she started her long working career at a laundry to assist with the household finances.

Dolores was beautiful, vivacious, elegant, and compassionate and had many interests, curiosities and passions, her greatest being Her Husband and Family. Her beauty, punctuated by her stunning green eyes captured the heart of her husband in 1955, and they remained as one until his passing in 2016. Together they raised four children and led a very active and interesting life built on a foundation of hard work, Faith, Love, Family and Country. She and her husband formed their first business starting in 1962. They worked long and hard and grew their business and created others. They created jobs and helped others and became a source of encouragement and inspiration to all who knew them.

As a school-girl, Dolores was known for her straight A's; she and her best friend Minnie competed for the highest grade in the class. They regularly raced each other to see their marks as they were being posted by their teacher. She recanted that she read and studied her homework lessons by oil lamp in the very early school years. Starting from about age 15, Dolores began exercising her talent and intellect in the local economy at various enterprises in Corpus Christi, such as The Orange Oasis, Perkins, Fedway and Lichtenstein's. She quickly earned positions of responsibility using her skills in mathematics and attention to detail becoming a Buyer and Accounts Payable Manager at about the time of her marriage.

She paused her promising career in order to raise her children as they began to attend private school and their activities increased. As a very young mother, she became very active and supportive, such as serving as a Cub Scouts Den Mother for her son's troop in elementary school. As the children grew, she supported their expanding scholastic endeavors and extra-curricular activities. She staffed fundraising projects, chaperone assignments and the like and attended every scholastic or performance-related event. Along with her many responsibilities as a Mother, she co-managed the family businesses, fulfilling the duties of the front office and general management and also maintained outside employment intermittently. In the 1990's, she took interest in Antiques and worked at various establishments, including the downtown Antique row and even had her own Re-sale Shop for a brief period. She also worked as a receptionist and at a 5 star Hotel gift shop. Her final vocation was devoted to the children of her community by serving for 8 years as a member of the Corpus Christi Crossing Guard looking after our school children until retiring in 2008. She recalled recently that on a cold winter day, she rushed to the Dollar Store and bought a whole box of winter mitts just in time to distribute them for a more comfortable trip from school to home.

Dolores was always insistent on staying physically fit. In the late 1960's she played short-stop in a local Women's Softball team called the Angels; the Mother's played ball while the kids played in sandboxes at a local park. Starting in 1979, she enjoyed a 25 year span of running and jogging, participating in numerous local competitions including the Beach to Bay Marathon as a longtime member of the Corpus Christi Roadrunners. Ribbons, trophies and medals are proudly displayed in her home along with photos of her in the many competitions in which she won or placed.

Dolores was a Gold Star Sister, having lost her brother, PFC Francisco Garza in 1967. She annually participated (until unable) in the Sherrill Park Memorial Day Ceremony honoring the fallen and was often chosen to place the wreath on the Memorial at the ceremony. While her brother was serving in the Viet Nam War, she shipped home made baked goods to him regularly as well to other troops in his Battalion. She continued this practice even after his death.

Dolores enjoyed horticulture and was known for her green-thumb, tending to her exotic specimens which she collected, propagated and raised successfully. Many hours were spent in her yard as she insisted on remaining active and could not ever sit idle, a trait learned during her upbringing. She and her brothers and sisters were very loving and close knit. When they grew up in the 40's and 50's, everything was scarce even food, clothing and especially shoes but they had the most important thing - love. They all worked and shared their earnings to help the family survive and maintain their household.

Her greatest accomplishment and joy were her grandchildren; she loved and tenderly looked after them from birth and into their adulthood, establishing the family legacy, passing her values to the next generation. They spent much quality time at the grandparent home tinkering with everything inside as well outside in the yard and garage where the conversations and lifelong collections of interesting items had no end. She was available to her grandchildren at any hour of every day for their care and school activities.

Her departure is met with grief beyond measure by her family, friends and all who knew her and she will be missed and remembered each and every day. She had a long full life filled with love, happiness and success. She was Blessed and highly favored and knew the Lord God and The Word. We are grateful for each and every moment she was with us on earth and await the day on which we can reunite with her as it will be eternally joyful.

The family would like to express their appreciation and gratitude to all the caregivers that assisted with her care throughout the last few years, allowing Dolores to remain in her own home where she was surrounded by all the family, friends and things she loved. Their care, compassion and skill are valued and respected by the family as they spent many of the most precious hours and days of her her life with her. We also with to thank all the family and friends who lifted her up in prayer and showed their love in the form of kind words, gestures, and comfort, friendship, generosity and encouragement. She loved and appreciated you all and we thank you on her behalf.

She is survived by her children: Dennis Quintero, Jean Quintero Madison, Patricia Quintero and Olga 'Lucy' Quintero; grandchildren: David Quintero, Lauren Sorzano Hargrove, and Nicholas Garza; great-grandchildren: Cameron and Celeste Quintero, Joy and Jewels Hargrove; Her sisters: Mary Briones and brother-in-law Robert, Grace Gomez and brother-in-law Rene. Sisters in law: Irma Muniz, Sylvia Segovia, Jerrie Weaver, Elaine Salinas and Nina Cobb, as well many nieces, nephews, and friends. She is pre-deceased by her HUSBAND, ALFONSO QUINTERO, III, her parents Candido and Maria Tamez Garza, brothers Gaspar, Candido Jr, Francisco, Baltazar, and Rodolfo; sisters Modesta, Teresa, Amada, and Olga Lucila.

Serving as Active Pall Bearers: David Quintero, Cameron Quintero, Gina Ramon, Christina Balboa, Rick Rincon, Michael Gomez;
Honorary Pall Bearers: Rene Gomez, Robert Briones, David Gonzales, Richard Rincon.

Services will be private.

Scripture: Proverbs 31:10-31
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.