Olga M. Álvarez entered into eternal rest surrounded by family at her home on Sunday, March 13, 2022, at the age of 89.
She was born on September 29, 1932, in Mathis, Texas to Federico and María (De Anda) Mendoza.
Shortly after she was born, her father returned the family to Wilson County to raise Olga on her grandfather's ranch located between Calaveras and Saspamco.
She attended Saspamco schools and graduated from Floresville High School in 1948. She began college at the age of 15 at Texas A&I in Kingsville. Olga emphasized the idea that we stand on the shoulders of giants. She never forgot how her Uncle George (Jorge) Mendoza would sell a cow each semester to pay for her college tuition and that her grandfather, Tiburcio De Anda, also provided weekly assistance for incidentals.
By the time she was 18 she had received her teaching certification for grades 1-8, but before she stepped into the classroom, she worked at Lackland Air Force Base as a secretary. When she was 22, an opportunity to teach at Saspamco Elementary School arose. She taught first grade at Saspamco Elementary for 17 years, until it was consolidated with Floresville Elementary. In the meantime, she had completed her bachelor's degree at Trinity University while teaching full time and raising her family. In the 1970s, she was one of the first teachers in Wilson County to be certified as a bilingual instructor, and consequently trained all teachers in FISD seeking bilingual certification. In 1981, she received her master's degree in Bilingual-Bicultural Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Olga embraced her own bicultural heritage and incorporated it into her teaching style with annual Cinco de Mayo and Dieciséis celebrations that included student dance performances, costumes, and oratory addresses. She appreciated the spoken word and often held historical presentations of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Many of her former students would seek her advice later regarding the college application process, something she was happy to do. "Mrs. Álvarez wanted every child to succeed and her expectations were very high for all the children that she taught. She wanted them to become productive citizens," said former student Manuel Mermea. Even after her retirement of 40 years as a teacher, she continued to educate others by teaching citizenship classes for immigrants and GED classes at the county jail until she was seventy-five years of age. She often stated that teaching was not work. It was her vocation.
Giving back to the community was something she strongly believed in. As a Brownie troop leader, she enjoyed watching young girls mature into confident leaders. She herself did not shy away from conflict especially when it came to the safety of children. Olga played a critical role in petitioning the county to install a concrete bridge over the Calaveras Creek on County Road 128 to secure the safe passage of three school buses from Saspamco to the Floresville schools. She also served as Secretary for the Oak Hills Water Board, in various officer roles for the Wilson County Teacher's Association, as Chair for the Wilson County Children's Service Board, on the Wilson County Memorial Hospital District Board of Directors, and as Historian for the Floresville Musical Club. In 2008, she was honored to serve as the Parade Grand Marshall for the Floresville Peanut Festival. "I have always had nothing but the utmost respect for Mrs. Álvarez. She was such a wonderful teacher and leader!" said her former principal Jane Wiatrek.
Olga was proud of her roots in the Calaveras and Saspamco communities and devoted her time to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church (OLPH) where she was a founding member of the OLPH Altar Society. For over half-a-century she served as President of the OLPH Altar Society and Director of CCD. She organized Christmas pageants, Easter plays, Mother of the Year celebrations, and First Communion receptions for over 60 years. She was also a founding member of the Catholic Daughters of America at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, a member of the Guadalupana Society, and served as President of both the Floresville Deanery and the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women in the 1990s. In 2013, she received the inaugural Lumen Gentium Award for her parish from the San Antonio Archdiocese. She believed in the power of prayer. Her family and friends often relied on her to pray for them and those in need as well as for those in the community. She always kept a lengthy list of prayer petitions on the behalf of her family and friends on her home altar.
Olga was a bit of an amateur historian. She kept thorough records of the CCD program and other organizations to which she belonged and archived almost everything in her collection of over 100 scrapbooks and albums. In 2015, along with her son James, she was able to provide the necessary documentation to obtain a Historical Marker for her beloved OLPH.
Obtaining an education, giving back to the community, as well as defining success by the number of lives one has touched are the values she instilled in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved Christmas, Easter and all family celebrations. She was known for her oatmeal cookies, birthday cakes, and deviled eggs. She enjoyed singing, sharing family stories, and visiting her friends, especially those in need. She is remembered by her family for her warmth, love, faith, laughter, and fighting spirit. She was the heart of the family and will be missed immensely. Her parting words were, "It's not about this world. We also have to prepare ourselves for the next."
Olga was preceded in death by her husband, Jonas G. Álvarez; sons, John E. Epperson, Jr. and Frederick W. Epperson; grandson, Joseph D. Carrasco; her parents, Federico and Mary D. Mendoza; and brother, Fred D. Mendoza.
Visitation will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 21, 2022, at Vinyard Funeral Home -Floresville, and the Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. that same evening at the funeral home.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Saspamco, TX, with visitation commencing at 1 p.m. at the church.
Interment will follow at St. Anthony Catholic Cemetery in Elmendorf, TX.
Posted at:
Vinyard Funeral Home
March 2022
She was born on September 29, 1932, in Mathis, Texas to Federico and María (De Anda) Mendoza.
Shortly after she was born, her father returned the family to Wilson County to raise Olga on her grandfather's ranch located between Calaveras and Saspamco.
She attended Saspamco schools and graduated from Floresville High School in 1948. She began college at the age of 15 at Texas A&I in Kingsville. Olga emphasized the idea that we stand on the shoulders of giants. She never forgot how her Uncle George (Jorge) Mendoza would sell a cow each semester to pay for her college tuition and that her grandfather, Tiburcio De Anda, also provided weekly assistance for incidentals.
By the time she was 18 she had received her teaching certification for grades 1-8, but before she stepped into the classroom, she worked at Lackland Air Force Base as a secretary. When she was 22, an opportunity to teach at Saspamco Elementary School arose. She taught first grade at Saspamco Elementary for 17 years, until it was consolidated with Floresville Elementary. In the meantime, she had completed her bachelor's degree at Trinity University while teaching full time and raising her family. In the 1970s, she was one of the first teachers in Wilson County to be certified as a bilingual instructor, and consequently trained all teachers in FISD seeking bilingual certification. In 1981, she received her master's degree in Bilingual-Bicultural Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Olga embraced her own bicultural heritage and incorporated it into her teaching style with annual Cinco de Mayo and Dieciséis celebrations that included student dance performances, costumes, and oratory addresses. She appreciated the spoken word and often held historical presentations of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Many of her former students would seek her advice later regarding the college application process, something she was happy to do. "Mrs. Álvarez wanted every child to succeed and her expectations were very high for all the children that she taught. She wanted them to become productive citizens," said former student Manuel Mermea. Even after her retirement of 40 years as a teacher, she continued to educate others by teaching citizenship classes for immigrants and GED classes at the county jail until she was seventy-five years of age. She often stated that teaching was not work. It was her vocation.
Giving back to the community was something she strongly believed in. As a Brownie troop leader, she enjoyed watching young girls mature into confident leaders. She herself did not shy away from conflict especially when it came to the safety of children. Olga played a critical role in petitioning the county to install a concrete bridge over the Calaveras Creek on County Road 128 to secure the safe passage of three school buses from Saspamco to the Floresville schools. She also served as Secretary for the Oak Hills Water Board, in various officer roles for the Wilson County Teacher's Association, as Chair for the Wilson County Children's Service Board, on the Wilson County Memorial Hospital District Board of Directors, and as Historian for the Floresville Musical Club. In 2008, she was honored to serve as the Parade Grand Marshall for the Floresville Peanut Festival. "I have always had nothing but the utmost respect for Mrs. Álvarez. She was such a wonderful teacher and leader!" said her former principal Jane Wiatrek.
Olga was proud of her roots in the Calaveras and Saspamco communities and devoted her time to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church (OLPH) where she was a founding member of the OLPH Altar Society. For over half-a-century she served as President of the OLPH Altar Society and Director of CCD. She organized Christmas pageants, Easter plays, Mother of the Year celebrations, and First Communion receptions for over 60 years. She was also a founding member of the Catholic Daughters of America at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, a member of the Guadalupana Society, and served as President of both the Floresville Deanery and the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women in the 1990s. In 2013, she received the inaugural Lumen Gentium Award for her parish from the San Antonio Archdiocese. She believed in the power of prayer. Her family and friends often relied on her to pray for them and those in need as well as for those in the community. She always kept a lengthy list of prayer petitions on the behalf of her family and friends on her home altar.
Olga was a bit of an amateur historian. She kept thorough records of the CCD program and other organizations to which she belonged and archived almost everything in her collection of over 100 scrapbooks and albums. In 2015, along with her son James, she was able to provide the necessary documentation to obtain a Historical Marker for her beloved OLPH.
Obtaining an education, giving back to the community, as well as defining success by the number of lives one has touched are the values she instilled in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved Christmas, Easter and all family celebrations. She was known for her oatmeal cookies, birthday cakes, and deviled eggs. She enjoyed singing, sharing family stories, and visiting her friends, especially those in need. She is remembered by her family for her warmth, love, faith, laughter, and fighting spirit. She was the heart of the family and will be missed immensely. Her parting words were, "It's not about this world. We also have to prepare ourselves for the next."
Olga was preceded in death by her husband, Jonas G. Álvarez; sons, John E. Epperson, Jr. and Frederick W. Epperson; grandson, Joseph D. Carrasco; her parents, Federico and Mary D. Mendoza; and brother, Fred D. Mendoza.
Visitation will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 21, 2022, at Vinyard Funeral Home -Floresville, and the Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. that same evening at the funeral home.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Saspamco, TX, with visitation commencing at 1 p.m. at the church.
Interment will follow at St. Anthony Catholic Cemetery in Elmendorf, TX.
Posted at:
Vinyard Funeral Home
March 2022
Olga M. Álvarez entered into eternal rest surrounded by family at her home on Sunday, March 13, 2022, at the age of 89.
She was born on September 29, 1932, in Mathis, Texas to Federico and María (De Anda) Mendoza.
Shortly after she was born, her father returned the family to Wilson County to raise Olga on her grandfather's ranch located between Calaveras and Saspamco.
She attended Saspamco schools and graduated from Floresville High School in 1948. She began college at the age of 15 at Texas A&I in Kingsville. Olga emphasized the idea that we stand on the shoulders of giants. She never forgot how her Uncle George (Jorge) Mendoza would sell a cow each semester to pay for her college tuition and that her grandfather, Tiburcio De Anda, also provided weekly assistance for incidentals.
By the time she was 18 she had received her teaching certification for grades 1-8, but before she stepped into the classroom, she worked at Lackland Air Force Base as a secretary. When she was 22, an opportunity to teach at Saspamco Elementary School arose. She taught first grade at Saspamco Elementary for 17 years, until it was consolidated with Floresville Elementary. In the meantime, she had completed her bachelor's degree at Trinity University while teaching full time and raising her family. In the 1970s, she was one of the first teachers in Wilson County to be certified as a bilingual instructor, and consequently trained all teachers in FISD seeking bilingual certification. In 1981, she received her master's degree in Bilingual-Bicultural Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Olga embraced her own bicultural heritage and incorporated it into her teaching style with annual Cinco de Mayo and Dieciséis celebrations that included student dance performances, costumes, and oratory addresses. She appreciated the spoken word and often held historical presentations of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Many of her former students would seek her advice later regarding the college application process, something she was happy to do. "Mrs. Álvarez wanted every child to succeed and her expectations were very high for all the children that she taught. She wanted them to become productive citizens," said former student Manuel Mermea. Even after her retirement of 40 years as a teacher, she continued to educate others by teaching citizenship classes for immigrants and GED classes at the county jail until she was seventy-five years of age. She often stated that teaching was not work. It was her vocation.
Giving back to the community was something she strongly believed in. As a Brownie troop leader, she enjoyed watching young girls mature into confident leaders. She herself did not shy away from conflict especially when it came to the safety of children. Olga played a critical role in petitioning the county to install a concrete bridge over the Calaveras Creek on County Road 128 to secure the safe passage of three school buses from Saspamco to the Floresville schools. She also served as Secretary for the Oak Hills Water Board, in various officer roles for the Wilson County Teacher's Association, as Chair for the Wilson County Children's Service Board, on the Wilson County Memorial Hospital District Board of Directors, and as Historian for the Floresville Musical Club. In 2008, she was honored to serve as the Parade Grand Marshall for the Floresville Peanut Festival. "I have always had nothing but the utmost respect for Mrs. Álvarez. She was such a wonderful teacher and leader!" said her former principal Jane Wiatrek.
Olga was proud of her roots in the Calaveras and Saspamco communities and devoted her time to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church (OLPH) where she was a founding member of the OLPH Altar Society. For over half-a-century she served as President of the OLPH Altar Society and Director of CCD. She organized Christmas pageants, Easter plays, Mother of the Year celebrations, and First Communion receptions for over 60 years. She was also a founding member of the Catholic Daughters of America at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, a member of the Guadalupana Society, and served as President of both the Floresville Deanery and the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women in the 1990s. In 2013, she received the inaugural Lumen Gentium Award for her parish from the San Antonio Archdiocese. She believed in the power of prayer. Her family and friends often relied on her to pray for them and those in need as well as for those in the community. She always kept a lengthy list of prayer petitions on the behalf of her family and friends on her home altar.
Olga was a bit of an amateur historian. She kept thorough records of the CCD program and other organizations to which she belonged and archived almost everything in her collection of over 100 scrapbooks and albums. In 2015, along with her son James, she was able to provide the necessary documentation to obtain a Historical Marker for her beloved OLPH.
Obtaining an education, giving back to the community, as well as defining success by the number of lives one has touched are the values she instilled in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved Christmas, Easter and all family celebrations. She was known for her oatmeal cookies, birthday cakes, and deviled eggs. She enjoyed singing, sharing family stories, and visiting her friends, especially those in need. She is remembered by her family for her warmth, love, faith, laughter, and fighting spirit. She was the heart of the family and will be missed immensely. Her parting words were, "It's not about this world. We also have to prepare ourselves for the next."
Olga was preceded in death by her husband, Jonas G. Álvarez; sons, John E. Epperson, Jr. and Frederick W. Epperson; grandson, Joseph D. Carrasco; her parents, Federico and Mary D. Mendoza; and brother, Fred D. Mendoza.
Visitation will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 21, 2022, at Vinyard Funeral Home -Floresville, and the Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. that same evening at the funeral home.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Saspamco, TX, with visitation commencing at 1 p.m. at the church.
Interment will follow at St. Anthony Catholic Cemetery in Elmendorf, TX.
Posted at:
Vinyard Funeral Home
March 2022
She was born on September 29, 1932, in Mathis, Texas to Federico and María (De Anda) Mendoza.
Shortly after she was born, her father returned the family to Wilson County to raise Olga on her grandfather's ranch located between Calaveras and Saspamco.
She attended Saspamco schools and graduated from Floresville High School in 1948. She began college at the age of 15 at Texas A&I in Kingsville. Olga emphasized the idea that we stand on the shoulders of giants. She never forgot how her Uncle George (Jorge) Mendoza would sell a cow each semester to pay for her college tuition and that her grandfather, Tiburcio De Anda, also provided weekly assistance for incidentals.
By the time she was 18 she had received her teaching certification for grades 1-8, but before she stepped into the classroom, she worked at Lackland Air Force Base as a secretary. When she was 22, an opportunity to teach at Saspamco Elementary School arose. She taught first grade at Saspamco Elementary for 17 years, until it was consolidated with Floresville Elementary. In the meantime, she had completed her bachelor's degree at Trinity University while teaching full time and raising her family. In the 1970s, she was one of the first teachers in Wilson County to be certified as a bilingual instructor, and consequently trained all teachers in FISD seeking bilingual certification. In 1981, she received her master's degree in Bilingual-Bicultural Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Olga embraced her own bicultural heritage and incorporated it into her teaching style with annual Cinco de Mayo and Dieciséis celebrations that included student dance performances, costumes, and oratory addresses. She appreciated the spoken word and often held historical presentations of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Many of her former students would seek her advice later regarding the college application process, something she was happy to do. "Mrs. Álvarez wanted every child to succeed and her expectations were very high for all the children that she taught. She wanted them to become productive citizens," said former student Manuel Mermea. Even after her retirement of 40 years as a teacher, she continued to educate others by teaching citizenship classes for immigrants and GED classes at the county jail until she was seventy-five years of age. She often stated that teaching was not work. It was her vocation.
Giving back to the community was something she strongly believed in. As a Brownie troop leader, she enjoyed watching young girls mature into confident leaders. She herself did not shy away from conflict especially when it came to the safety of children. Olga played a critical role in petitioning the county to install a concrete bridge over the Calaveras Creek on County Road 128 to secure the safe passage of three school buses from Saspamco to the Floresville schools. She also served as Secretary for the Oak Hills Water Board, in various officer roles for the Wilson County Teacher's Association, as Chair for the Wilson County Children's Service Board, on the Wilson County Memorial Hospital District Board of Directors, and as Historian for the Floresville Musical Club. In 2008, she was honored to serve as the Parade Grand Marshall for the Floresville Peanut Festival. "I have always had nothing but the utmost respect for Mrs. Álvarez. She was such a wonderful teacher and leader!" said her former principal Jane Wiatrek.
Olga was proud of her roots in the Calaveras and Saspamco communities and devoted her time to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church (OLPH) where she was a founding member of the OLPH Altar Society. For over half-a-century she served as President of the OLPH Altar Society and Director of CCD. She organized Christmas pageants, Easter plays, Mother of the Year celebrations, and First Communion receptions for over 60 years. She was also a founding member of the Catholic Daughters of America at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, a member of the Guadalupana Society, and served as President of both the Floresville Deanery and the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women in the 1990s. In 2013, she received the inaugural Lumen Gentium Award for her parish from the San Antonio Archdiocese. She believed in the power of prayer. Her family and friends often relied on her to pray for them and those in need as well as for those in the community. She always kept a lengthy list of prayer petitions on the behalf of her family and friends on her home altar.
Olga was a bit of an amateur historian. She kept thorough records of the CCD program and other organizations to which she belonged and archived almost everything in her collection of over 100 scrapbooks and albums. In 2015, along with her son James, she was able to provide the necessary documentation to obtain a Historical Marker for her beloved OLPH.
Obtaining an education, giving back to the community, as well as defining success by the number of lives one has touched are the values she instilled in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved Christmas, Easter and all family celebrations. She was known for her oatmeal cookies, birthday cakes, and deviled eggs. She enjoyed singing, sharing family stories, and visiting her friends, especially those in need. She is remembered by her family for her warmth, love, faith, laughter, and fighting spirit. She was the heart of the family and will be missed immensely. Her parting words were, "It's not about this world. We also have to prepare ourselves for the next."
Olga was preceded in death by her husband, Jonas G. Álvarez; sons, John E. Epperson, Jr. and Frederick W. Epperson; grandson, Joseph D. Carrasco; her parents, Federico and Mary D. Mendoza; and brother, Fred D. Mendoza.
Visitation will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 21, 2022, at Vinyard Funeral Home -Floresville, and the Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. that same evening at the funeral home.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Saspamco, TX, with visitation commencing at 1 p.m. at the church.
Interment will follow at St. Anthony Catholic Cemetery in Elmendorf, TX.
Posted at:
Vinyard Funeral Home
March 2022
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