Virginia Lopez Rios

Our mother, Virginia Esperanza Lopez de Rios, was a kind, gentle soul who was quick to give and slow to judge. The legacy she leaves us cannot be measured in dollars or portfolios; it is much greater. Our mother died on Friday, March 17, 2023, at the age of 79, with a rosary by her side. While we may wonder why such a hard-working woman and devoted mother was taken before she could truly enjoy the fruits of her labor, we are comforted by the many memories and are so proud of her life. Our mother was born in Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico to Carlos and Leandra Lopez on August 1, 1943. Together with her brother, Jesus Lopez, she was raised in a home filled with love and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The fondest childhood memories she shared with her children always included visits with family and attending church at the Iglesia Guadalupe in Ciudad Acuña. In her adult life, our mother found herself traveling between San Jose, California, and Ciudad Acuña. She loved California and adored her life in Acuña, but for the benefit of her children, she chose to settle in Del Rio, Texas, where she worked day and night to create an opportunity for her children. Our mother understood and ensured her children understood that life was hard and rich at the same time. She showed us by example that one should work three jobs if necessary before earning a handout. We recall seeing our mother work at Hugo’s Steak House and the Hicks-Ponder company Monday thru Friday, then as a clerk at Amistad Meat Market on weekends. She also substituted often as a care provider to the elderly during some evenings. When that third job couldn’t be found, my mother turned a hobby into an opportunity. She discovered that people would gladly pay good money for her tamales. For most of her adult life, our mother provided tamales for so many families and loved being known and appreciated for her cultural culinary expertise. She was truly a tremendous daughter, mother, and friend. We often read stories of commitment to education. Our mother was that unsung protagonist. She instilled a commitment to education and a love of country like no other. We recall having our mom buy us a World Book Encyclopedia set long before we had beds or a television. She visited our teachers on the first day of school each year and admonished them to be strict with us, spank us if necessary, and only worry about letting her know when it happened. The reasons were irrelevant; and she only needed to know that it occurred so that she could provide the same experience at home. Even with all her jobs my mother demonstrated to us that one could never be too tired to pray each night, keep a clean household, cook for her children, attend church on Sunday, visit our grandparents in Acuña as often as possible, and share a meal with anyone in mourning. My mother often told us, “You only have so much energy and passion. Do not waste your passions becoming bitter for what you do not have. Instead, use that passion to make something of yourselves.” Her four kids, Virginia, Ricardo, Carlos, and Jesus, along with Maricela (Rick’s wife), who she loved as a true daughter, will miss her tremendously. We are thankful and comforted by your thoughts and prayers. Only in her death can we understand the true meaning of something greater than anything money can buy – a mother’s love.

Virginia Lopez Rios

August 1, 1943 - March 17, 2023