Obituary of Olga Gorena Grimaldo

Our mom was born on October 26, 1938 to Guillermina and Juan Gorena in Texas and was welcomed into paradise on April 07, 2020. She met her loving husband, our dad, Manuel Grimaldo in while working in the fields, we will never forget how excited she was when she got a cell phone and the phone number ended in 1955. They married in 1958 and started a family, they had 7 children, Lupe, Teresa (Gabriel Barrientos), Manuel Jr who passed away shortly after birth, John Manuel, Joseph (Annette), Paul (Araceli), Cindy (Rene Garza). Our mom was one of a kind. She was the mom who was active in our school activities and even made us do homework in the summer. Our mom was the carpool mom, the neighborhood ambulance, the mom who you didn’t want to make mad, and the maker of the best tortillas. Our mom became a widow at the age of 43, but she held us together the best she could. She loved her 9 grandchildren, Casalyn (Adam Prieto), Angel (Amber)Esquer, Manuel Grimaldo, Elizabeth Barrientos, Jessica (Richard Barrientos-Gorth), Paul Michael (Kendra) Grimaldo, Matthew Lee Grimaldo, Robert Garza, and Anthony Barrientos. She was welcomed with an open heart, Shantell Garza and Alexis Garza as her granddaughters. She was blessed with four great grandchildren, Ezequiel Esquer, Samuel Esquer, Lillyana Esquer, and Elijah Esquer. Our mom did not believe in daycares, at one point in time or another she babysat all her grandchildren. Sometimes 5 or 6 at a time and even the neighbor’s children. She attended school events and sporting events as much as possible. Mom loved to sing and dance but most of all teaching her grandbabies how to garden, make tamales and banana bread. Mom would get the kids to sneak her Cokes when she knew she shouldn’t drink them. Oh how she loved her strawberry milkshakes with whipped cream and would share the cherries with her babies. She worked at San Benito Foods for 25 years until a back injury prevented her from returning. She was always taking care of others; she was an active member of Sacred Heart Church, a volunteer in Fishes and Loves and the Salvation Army. Mom was also advocated for those in need. Always searching for resources, they needed, and they did not know where to turn. Mom had the biggest heart for all her grandbabies and children. She loved her siblings, Irene Cavazos (Santiago), Lilia Darias, Pedro Gorena (Nena), Genoveva Rodriguez (Guadalupe) , Lala Del Real (Efren), Elizabeth Casas (Humberto), Suzanna Bueno (Antonio), Juan Gorena (Bertha), Jose Gorena (Beatrice), Nena Domato (Paul), and Angelita Sanchez (Cruz). She loved her many nieces and nephews, god children and friends. Mom was a fighter, there were many times when the doctors told us she wouldn’t make it, yet she always proved them wrong. Mom taught us to never give up, mom was surrounded by all her children and left on her own terms when she knew we would all be ok. Her physical absence will be greatly missed but we do know she is now pain free, her memory is clear, and she is flying high with the angels. We do know that our Dad was there at Heaven’s gate welcoming her home along with her loved ones that have gone before, our brother Manuel Jr, her parents, and siblings, Irene, Lilia, Juan, Angelita and Genoveva and many compadres. We love you Mom, until we meet again,” We got you Momma”. Due to the circumstances beyond our control services will be private limited to her children and grandchildren. A formal celebration of life will be scheduled later for family and friends.