Dora Garza

Dora Salinas Garza, 89, passed away peacefully on Saturday February 13, 2021 with her granddaughter and great grandchildren by her side.  Dora was born on May 26, 1931 in Yorktown, DeWitt County, Texas.  She and her husband Noe C. Garza of 36 years married on May 28, 1950.  She is preceded in death by her husband Noe C. Garza, her parents Pablo and Noemi Salinas, her brothers Bobby, Ray, and Paul Salinas, her daughter Martha Gail Fulton, and her great grandson Owen Patrick Webb, as well as several nephews, brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law.

Dora and Noe had two children: Noe C. Garza of Corpus Christi, Texas and Martha Gail Fulton (George Fulton) of Lake Orion, Michigan.  They were blessed with five grandchildren:  Noe Cristopher Garza of Frisco, Texas; Sean Garza of Corpus Christi, Texas; Melissa Webb (Brian Webb) of Bellaire, Texas; Emily Summerer (Brett Summerer) of Chicago, Illinois; and George Andrew Fulton (Ellen Fulton) of San Diego, California.  She had ten great grandchildren that she adored:  Dominick Garza, Sophia Webb, Owen Webb (deceased), Natalie Webb, Zachary Webb, Samuel Webb, David Webb, Rhys Summerer, Evangeline Summerer, and Liam Summerer.

After graduation from Corpus Christi High School, Dora worked as a legal assistant and then later as an office administrator and paralegal in her husband’s law office for 23 years.  After her husband’s death, she worked as a substitute teacher and taught adult ESL classes at Tuloso-Midway High School.  As a member and past president of the Instituto de Cultura Hispanica, Dora founded the Museum of Hispanic Culture and secured the historic Lichtenstein House in Heritage Park as its location.  The museum, the educational outreach programs, and scholarship programs were her legacy and greatest achievements.  She is also past president of the Tuloso-Midway Junior High School PTA, Incarnate Word Academy Parents Club, St. Theresa Altar Society.  She was an active member of St. Theresa Catholic Church for many years, a member of Pan American Round Table, and honorary member of Delta Kappa Gamma Society.  She was awarded the Outstanding Citizen Award in 1999 by the United Married Couples Club and was awarded the Estrella award by the Hispanic Women’s Network.  She was also honored by the Instituto de Cultura Hispanica in 2014 for her extensive contributions to the organization over the years including securing non-profit corporation status.  She also devoted time to the South Texas Museum of Arts where she served on the board and curated the Los Reyes Magos (The Three Kings) exhibit in 2002.

The family wishes to thank the staff at the Village of Meyerland in Houston, Texas for loving and caring for our beloved Mom and Grandma for the past 6 years.  She touched the lives of so many and she made friends everywhere.  She always had a beautiful smile for family and her Village family even as she was in her last days.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting contributions to the scholarship fund for the Instituto de Cultura Hispanica, 1617 N. Chapparal St., Corpus Christi, Texas 78401, with “Scholarship Fund-Dora Garza” in the memo line.

The rosary will be Sunday February 21st at 7 pm at Sawyer George Funeral Home in Corpus Christi.  The funeral mass will be celebrated February 22nd at 10 am at St. Pius Catholic Church in Corpus Christi and will be Livestreamed through the St. Pius Catholic Church Facebook page.  Graveside service will follow the mass at Rose Hill Cemetery.