DORA C. GONZALEZ
PHARR — Dora C. González, 83, entered eternal rest on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen.
Dora was born in Linares, Nuevo León, Mexico, on February 5, 1938, and was the second-eldest of seven children.
At only the age of 12, Dora and her elder sister started teaching younger children at a small primary school on the outskirts of Linares for nine years. From teaching multiplication tables to Mexican poems, Dora found great joy in showing students how to hold a pencil and write their names in cursive. For history and geography lessons, Dora would use chalk to draw intricate maps of Mexico.
On October 31, 1959, she married Eusebio Andres González, also of Linares, and four years later, they decided to leave their homeland for new opportunities in the United States. The couple relocated to Pharr in 1963 and raised two children: Gerardo Andres and Dora Leticia.
Dora became a widow at 42, which forced her to epitomize independence, fortitude, and selflessness. To support herself financially, Dora dedicated 18 years to the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, working at the PSJA Central Kitchen and later as a cafeteria cashier at PSJA High School. Her workday began at 5 a.m., where she would write the daily menu in beautiful cursive, help prepare thousands of meals, and warmly greet students and staff at the cash register.
Dora worked diligently to improve her English conversation skills and studied twice a week for two years to earn her GED in the 1970s. She earned a nutrition certificate from the Texas Agricultural Extension Service of Texas A&M University in 1974. In 1999, she proudly earned her U.S. citizenship.
Upon her retirement in 2003, Dora joined the choir at St. Anne Catholic Church in Pharr. For 18 years, she spent the first Sunday of each month singing at the San Juan Nursing Home. Dora was very giving and would stretch her humble retirement check to make monthly donations to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and other non-profit organizations.
She will be remembered for her meticulous attention to detail and brilliant memory, as she would call loved ones on their birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries. Despite the many hardships she faced, Dora had a gift for making everyone she knew feel loved and treasured.
Her hardworking hands sewed and altered many clothes, embroidered beautiful floral designs on pillowcases, prepared delicious Mexican dishes, tended to her vibrant garden, wished loved ones well with the Sign of the Cross, and lovingly drew favorite cartoon characters on Easter eggs for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She believed in life-long learning, Mexican Ingenuity, and the American Dream — instilling in her family the values of faith, education, hard work, and perseverance.
Dora is preceded in death by her husband, Eusebio Andres González, and son Gerardo Andres González. She reunites with her parents, José Cantú and María Rita Karr, as well as her sisters: Elvia C. Rodríguez (Arnulfo), Elsa C. Sánchez (Adán), Oralia C. Rodríguez (Alvaro), María Concepción C. Marroquín (Mario), all of whom are of Linares; sister-in-law Josefina Cantú of Linares, sister-in-law Josefina Arritola of Pharr, and brother-in-law Longinos González (Sylvia) of California.
She is survived by her daughter, Dora Leticia (Daniel) González of McAllen. She leaves behind six grandchildren: Katrina Jasmin González, Julián Andres González (Kristal), Gabriela Angelina Domínguez (Juan), Amanda Danielle González, Adrian González, and Alan González; six great-grandchildren: Kayla Jaslene Keatley, Jensis Erahli González, Jazalay Renea González, J’Andre Matthew González, Julián Andres González, Jr., and Vynessah Grace Domínguez. She is survived by her brother José Noé Cantú and her sister Blanca C. Elizondo (Rodolfo) of Linares. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Juanita G. Soto (Fidel) of Pharr. She also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews whom she loved visiting in Mexico or welcoming in the United States.
Visitation was held from 5 to 8 p.m., with a 6 p.m. rosary Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at Memorial Funeral Home in San Juan. Funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at St. Anne Catholic Church in Pharr. Interment will follow at Palm Valley Memorial Gardens in Pharr.
Pallbearers will be grandsons Julián Andres González, Adrian González, and Alan González; Joseph Álvarez and Mark Álvarez, whom she babysat as children; as well as family friend, Roel “Robi” Garza.
The family extends their deepest gratitude to Dora’s good friends and neighbors who would check in on her daily, as well as Dr. Manuel Mercado and the doctors and staff who cared for her at Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen. Your prayers are much appreciated.
Funeral services are under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home in San Juan.