Sylvia Ornelas

On November 4, 2012, Sylvia Villarreal Ornelas passed away in Houston, Texas at MD Anderson Cancer Center. She was born in Laredo on September 24, 1941 and attended St. Peter's Memorial School and Martin High School. She received her BA from Texas A&I at Kingsville and her Masters in Education from East Texas State University. Sylvia was a long time educator with the Laredo Independent School District where she met her future husband, Alfonso H. Ornelas.

Sylvia was one of the original parishioners of San Martin de Porres Church. She belonged to the Princess Pocahontas Council and was active in Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. Sylvia was also a board member of the South Texas Family Planning. Upon her retirement, Sylvia sat on the City of Laredo grievance committee and was a member of the board of directors to the Gateway Academy School. However, she was never happier than being a doting Grandmother surrounded by her 8 grandchildren-.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Homero A. Villarreal and Sylvia Beatriz Sanchez Villarreal, her brother, Homero Villarreal and her husband, Alfonso H. Ornelas. She was also preceded in death by her brother-in-law, Fernando H. Ornelas, her sister-in-law, Elena Ornelas and her nephew, Fernando H. Ornelas, Jr. She is survived by her children, Maria-Luisa "Mary Lou" Ornelas-June (Raymond "Larry" June), Alfonso "Boyer" Ornelas (Adriana "Nani" Garcia) and Sylvia Ornelas Molina (Francisco "Kiko" Molina) as well as her grandchildren, Viviana June, Connor June, Alejandra Ornelas, Paloma June, Alfonso H. Ornelas, III, Ava Ornelas, Tatiana Molina and Natali Molina. She is also survived by her brother, Dr. Roberto Villarreal (Graciela) and his children, Ana Lisa and Gian Carlo Villarreal and their mother, Maria Enriqueta Villarreal. She is additionally survived by her sister-in-law, Lucia Ornelas and her daughter, Patricia Ann Wade and another sister-in-law, May Ornelas and her daughters, Linda Gangi and Maria Teresa Ornelas.

A special thanks to her physician Dr. Oscar Perez and Staff for their years of personal care and attention. We would also like to thank her oncologists, Dr. Miranda and Dr. Knecht and staff, for their care and consultation. A special thanks to her caregiver, Maricela Martinez Castillo, for not only caring for her, but for providing invaluable support to the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sisters of Mercy/Mercy Ministries at 2500 Zacatecas;-P.O. Box 430169 Laredo, TX 78043.