Hortense Sciaraffa Pompa

Hortense Sciaraffa Pompa, beloved and loving daughter, wife, mother and grandmother, entered into eternal rest on July 18, 2013. Hortense, was preceded in death by her parents, Andres Sansalvador Sciaraffa and Maria del Socorro Nunez Sciaraffa; brothers, Fernando Salvador and Andres Julian Sciaraffa; her husband of 30 years, Raul Pompa. She is survived by her sons, Raul and Adrian Joseph Pompa; daughter, Denise Dolores Pompa; granddaughters, Chelsea Chantal and Jourdan Leigh Pompa; grandson, Matthew Vincent Pompa.

Hortense was born on March 23, 1924, in San Antonio, Texas. She attended St. Theresa’s Academy, Thomas Jefferson High School, and graduated from Our Lady of the Lake High School in 1942. She also attended Our Lady of the Lake College in 1946 and 1947, and received her Associate’s Degree from San Antonio College in 1984.

Hortense met her husband to be, Raul Pompa, in 1942, while he was undergoing United States Army Air Force training at Brookes Army Air Force Base. They married on May 6, 1948.

Her first job was as a model for a local dress manufacturing firm that produced the Pro Golfer Betty Jamison clothing line in 1947. From 1948 to 1969, she was a homemaker, community volunteer and substitute teacher in elementary schools of the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) from 1967 to 1968. From 1969 to 1991, she was an Executive Secretary to the Principal at Horace Mann and Whittier Junior High Schools in the SAISD. Hortense was also a certified travel agent.

Hortense’ community service was long and extensive. From 1991 to 1996, she was the Director of Volunteers at Christus Santa Rosa Hospital. In 1956, she was a volunteer worker with the San Antonio School for Down’s Syndrome Children. In 1958, Raul and Hortense, with other parents, founded and organized the Cub Scout program Pack 336, at Ira Ogden Elementary School, where she served as a Cub Scout Den Mother for five years, and won three awards for her work as a Den Mother. As a volunteer with the Inman Institute, she assisted persons studying for American citizenship in 1959 and 1960. Hortense was also a volunteer swimming instructor with Red Cross Swimming Program in 1959, 1960, and 1961. She also taught Sunday School at Trinity Baptist Church.

Hortense was a member and officer in the following community service organizations: Council of International Relations, McAllister Scholarship Committee, and League for Exceptional Children, St. Paul’s Altar Society, Methodist Hospital, and was a Life Member of Blue Bird’s Auxiliary.

She was the co-chairperson of the Women’s Division of the San Antonio Livestock Exposition in 1969, and a volunteer accountant with the 1993 U.S. Summer Olympics, San Antonio Venue.

From 1956 to 1969, Hortense was deeply involved in the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and served as PTA President at Ira Ogden and James B. Fenwick Elementary Schools, Horace Mann Junior High School, and Thomas Jefferson High School. She organized and directed SAISD training classes for parents to become community leaders. She also translated the PTA’s Parliamentary and Leadership Procedures into Spanish for use throughout Texas school districts. Hortense also held various offices with the San Antonio Council of PTA’s in 1969. She was a Life Member of the Texas Congress of PTA’s, and a member of the Retired Teachers Association. She will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

The family will receive friends at 1:00 p.m., Monday, July 22, 2013 at Funeraria Del Angel Roy Akers with a Rosary being recited at 7:00 p.m. A funeral procession will depart the funeral home at 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, July 23, 2013 to celebrate a 12:00 Noon Mass at St. Paul Catholic Church. Interment will follow in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. Please visit www.funerariadelangelroyakers.com for online tributes.