Laura Montemayor

“If you feel you’re losing faith,

Admire a sunset or the sounds of singing birds,

pay attention to a butterfly in the winter

or the sounds of waves,

search and you will find the wonder of God close by,

Even look to the sky….there are signs everywhere.”

Untitled Poem by Laura D. Montemayor

Laura Diaz Montemayor passed away gently into the arms of our Lord on April 9, 2018, at the age of 53.

Laura was a woman of many talents. She was a loving mother to her sons David and Marshall. She was a faithful companion to her partner Jerry. She was a caring grandmother. She was a dedicated and loyal employee and co-worker and she was a resilient community volunteer. She was a theater mom, a hockey mom, and a Pop Warner football mom. She was a poet and a student. She was an exceptional friend. Every client, attorney or legal assistant who came into contact with Laura can testify to her delicate touch and graceful demeanor in her thirty-year career as an administrative assistant. She was the captain of the ship at work and a joyful voyager in life’s journey. She moved in many circles, making great and loyal friends in each group.

Laura was a proud graduate of the 1982 class of Martin High. After high school she took classes at Laredo Junior College. She received a certification as an official court reporter in Austin and later in life was pursuing a degree at Texas A&M International in Laredo. As a teenager she worked at Tamez Grocery with her grandparents and mother and father. She was employed with the Laredo Morning Times and then with Mike Herrera at Laredo Today before moving to a thirty year career with attorneys Rosaura (Wawi) Tijerina, Alfonso (Boyer) Ornelas, Homero Ramirez Jr., Selina Nava Mireles and Armando X. Lopez. Once Tijerina, Ornelas, Ramirez and Mireles moved on to public service she remained with the Law Offices of Armando X. Lopez.

In her artistic career Laura was a prize-winning poet with the City Of Laredo poetry competition and a participant with Laredo Border Slam where she won a poetry slam contest. She was able to share with her son Marshall over sixty poems that she composed. Her talents were not limited to the arts. On many a weekend she was part of the Habitat for Humanity building crew adding to the legacy of affordable housing for her fellow Laredoans. She was an avid dancer and a supporter of the theater arts and youth sports that her sons enjoyed.

She is predeceased by her beloved son David Montemayor II, her paternal grandparents, Octavio Tamez and Lilia G. Tamez and her niece Lilivette Diaz.

She is survived by her boyfriend and companion, Gerardo Palacios and her son Marshall Ramirez Jr. She is also survived by her daughter in law Cristina Castañeda; her grandchildren, David Montemayor III, Hannah Elizabeth Montemayor and Matthew Montemayor; her parents, Abraham H. Sr.( Beto ) and Rosa T. Diaz She is likewise survived by her brothers Abraham H. (Irene) Diaz Jr. and Daniel Diaz. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews Lilia (Sergio) Lozano, Liliana Diaz (Isidoro) Lozano and Abraham H. (Stephanie) Diaz III. She is mourned by her uncles and aunts and extended family, her dear friends, the legal community, her fellow poets at the Laredo Border slam, her Martin High Class of 1982 classmates, co-workers and fellow volunteers with Habitat for Humanity.

The community of poets at Laredo Border Slam will commemorate Laura with her own poetry and poetry dedicated to her on Thursday April 12, 2018 at it’s biweekly slam on Gallery 201 located at 513 San Bernardo Ave Laredo, Texas 78040. Doors open at 9:00 p.m. and the event will commence at 10:00 p.m.

The family will be receiving condolences on Friday evening, April 13, 2018 from 4 to 9 p.m. at Joe Jackson North Funeral Chapel & Cremation Services, 1410 Jacaman Rd.; where a Vigil for the Deceased and Rosary will commence at 7 p.m.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday morning, April 14, 2018 departing at 8:30 a.m. from Joe Jackson North Funeral Chapel to San Martin De Porres Catholic Church for a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:00 a.m celebrated by Msgr. Alex Salazar.

Rite of Committal and Interment will follow in the Calvary Catholic Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be: Marcial Ramirez Sr., Marshall Ramirez, Abraham Heriberto Diaz Jr., Sergio Lozano, Frank Puente, Gerardo Palacios, Isidoro Lozano and Armando X. Lopez.

Honorary Pallbearers are Abraham Heriberto Diaz Sr., David Montemayor III, Lily Lozano and Matthew Montemayor.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care and direction of the funeral service professionals at Joe Jackson North Funeral Chapels and Cremation Services, 1410 Jacaman Rd., Laredo, Texas 78041, (956)722-8850.