Rachel Ortiz Conner

Rachel Ortiz Conner, age 71, peacefully entered the Kingdom of Heaven on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at University Hospital, after a courageous battle with several serious medical conditions. She was born on November 17, 1953 in San Antonio, Texas, to Pedro Almanza Ortiz and Ramona Castillo Ortiz. She graduated from Edgewood High School, San Antonio. She was raised in a very loving and religious home who instilled the importance of service to others. Rachel dedicated her entire career to healthcare, starting in a nursing home, then hospital housekeeping, becoming a patient transporter, and eventually working as a physical therapy technician. Her career included work throughout San Antonio, Texas including Humana Healthcare, San Antonio Community Hospital, Methodist Healthcare Systems and University Health. Rachel was always known to be a very reliable colleague with a positive spirit. She was always extremely proud to have been able to help those in need.

While working in the healthcare field she met her husband Michael Lee Conner and they married on June 12, 1983 in San Antonio, Texas. Following their union, she had her son Michael William Conner and then her daughter Sarah Ashley Conner. Rachel devoted herself fully to her family and was a very loving mother, ensuring her children were always well taken care of. Due to her health condition of Lupus, she medically retired early in life. She greatly attributed her ability to surpass normal life expectancy to her medical doctors, Dr. Emily Pineda, M.D. of South Texas Arthritis Care Center and Dr. Sarah Abang-Hayes, M.D. of University Health. Her hobbies included cooking, sewing, playing pool and dancing to Tejano and Country music. She was an active member of Mission City Church-Central, Castle Hills, San Antonio, Texas. She very much enjoyed all the friendships she made throughout her congregation. Rachel was always able to laugh and make conversations with anyone she met. Throughout her years she received assistance in various matters due to her disability from church members, neighbors of Castle Hills Forest and those in the medical community, of which she wishes to extend her gratitude for.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Pedro Almanza Ortiz & Ramona Castillo Ortiz; her in-laws Harvey William Conner & Clara Mann Conner of Madison, Indiana; her husband Michael Lee Conner, who suddenly passed away from melanoma cancer in November 2007; and her first son Raymond C. Ortiz.

She is survived by her siblings, Edward H. Ortiz (wife Margaret), Daniel P. Ortiz, Carol O. Flores (husband Abel Flores, Sr.); and her children, son Peter O. Ramos; son Michael William Conner; daughter Sarah Ashley Conner. She had many nieces and nephews that she dearly loved and extended family throughout San Antonio, Texas.

Rachel always believed in God’s will and that His will shall be done according to God’s divine timing.

A gathering of family & friends for Rachel will be held Saturday, March 29, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Sunset North Funeral Home, 910 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, Texas 78232, followed by a celebration of life at 3:00 PM.