Patsy Jo Mireles

Mom was born in Austin, Texas on July 16, 1938, to Chester Sadler Kinsey and Dorothy Rollins Kinsey. She was the second oldest child in a family of eleven (11) children.

Mom married her high school sweetheart, Gilbert Flores Mireles, Sr. on December 19, 1955, in San Antonio, Texas. They were married for 49 years until Dad passed away in September 2004.

Mom was a devout member of St. Phillips Catholic Church for 46 years. She was active in the St. Phillips Women’s Guild and Over 55 Group at St. Pius Catholic Church.

Mom’s two greatest loves in her life were her love for our Savior Jesus Christ and her love of family. Mom loved the Lord Jesus with all of her heart and therefore, instilled strong Christian values in her three (3) children. When her children were young, she would read them Bible stories, taught them to say grace before meals, attended church regularly and taught them to pray. Mom prayed and read her devotionals on a daily basis up until the very end of her life.

Mom established all of the holiday traditions for the family. She loved to decorate for each holiday and made them special with her wonderful cooking. Mom especially loved baking desserts, cakes, and cookies. At Christmas, the family tradition was to bake Pecan Sandies and Cut-Out Sugar cookies. The three kids would sit around the kitchen table decorating the cut-out sugar cookies with different colored icing and sprinkle toppings. To this day, her children continue to make Pecan Sandies and decorate Cut-Out Sugar Cookies at Christmas.

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Mom’s love of cooking has been passed down to each of her children. We will miss not being able to pick up the phone and ask Mom a cooking question. Mom had all the answers or explained how to improvise, and it always turned out delicious.

Mom loved to travel. It did not matter if it was to Germany or Ennis, Texas to see the Bluebonnets. Mom was always in a “Go” state and kept a “travel fund” for such occasions. One of Mom’s last big trips was in July 2019 when she and Gilbert traveled to Sun Valley, Idaho to visit Mike and Lisa. Mom had mentioned several times prior to the trip how she would love to see the Grand Teton Mountains in Wyoming. Unbeknownst to Mom, Lisa, Mike, and Gilbert decided the best birthday present to give her that year was to fulfill her wish to see the Grand Tetons. So, the four took a road trip to Jackson, Wyoming. As they approached Driggs, Idaho, Mom kept commenting on the towering mountains in the distance. After crossing over into Wyoming, the foursome stopped at a viewing site to gaze at the towering mountain range. Mom got out of the car and asked the name of the mountain range. When she was told she was looking at the Grand Teton Mountains, she broke down into tears of happiness. She then got her phone out and called her dear friend, Myra, to tell her she was looking at the Grand Tetons. The group had lunch at Jackson Lake Lodge before returning to Sun Valley that evening. Mom stated that it was one of the best birthdays ever.

Mom enjoyed meeting new people and never met a stranger. She could strike up a conversation while standing in the check out line at the grocery store.

Mom loved to read. As she became more housebound in her later years, she spent many hours immersed in books. She was inquisitive and loved learning new things therefore, she read a variety of books from Reader’s Digest Condensed versions to biographies. She passed her love of reading onto her children. Mom always said, “If you can read, you can learn anything.” In fact, the day before Mom passed away as she was laying in her hospital bed, she asked where the Easter Bunny originated. So, we googled the Easter Bunny and found the tradition originated in Germany. She was learning new things up to the end of her life.

As Mom aged and spent more time at home, she created a weekly routine. She enjoyed her soap opera’s “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful”. After those shows finished, she switched over to watch “Wagon Train” and then later in the day she watched Jeopardy to keep her mind sharp. She cracked the family up because she did not like watching “Gunsmoke” or “The Big Valley”. She also enjoyed the PBS station. One of her favorite series was “Downton Abbey”.

As far as movies go, her all time favorite movie was “Gone with the Wind” starring Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable. Lisa still remembers Mom taking her to see “Gone with the Wind” on the big screen when she was about 14 years old. The last time Mom watched “Gone with the Wind” was in early March before going to the hospital when it aired on TCM’s 31 days of Oscars.

Mom was predeceased in death by her parents, Chester Sadler Kinsey and Dorothy Rollins Kinsey. Her husband, Gilbert Flores Mireles, Sr. Her siblings, Britt Kinsey, Chester Kinsey, Harris Kinsey, Gloria Corbett, Kay Roberts, Patricia Hall, and James Kinsey who recently passed away on April 22, 2025.

Mom is survived by her three children, Gilbert Flores Mireles, Jr., Lisa Mireles Riley and her husband, Michael Reid Riley, David Joseph Mireles and his wife, Andrea Mays Mireles. Her grandchildren, Stefan Joseph Mireles, Stuart Jordan Mireles, and Spencer Jason Mireles. Her great granddaughter, Abigail Juliana Mireles. Her siblings, Treva Moore, Dorothy Ortiz, and Ronnie Kinsey.

Funeral Arrangements are as follows:

Visitation-Tuesday, May 6, 2025-6-8PM (Dallas, Texas)

Sparkman-Crane Funeral Home

10501 Garland Road

Dallas, Texas 75218

Rosary and Funeral Mass-Thursday, May 8, 2025 (San Antonio, Texas)

Rosary-10AM

Funeral Mass-11AM

Lunch Reception following Mass

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church

8500 Cross Mountain Trail

San Antonio, Texas 78255

Burial Service-Friday-May 9, 2025-10AM (San Antonio, Texas)

Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery

Joint Base San Antonio

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Salvation Army. https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/ways-to-give/