Bertha Urteaga

She was born on May 26, 1939, in San Benito, Texas, to Alfonso and Dolores Leandro; she was raised in Brownsville, Texas and attended Texas Southmost College. In 1963, she moved to Houston to attend the University of Houston. In 1967 Bertha began working for SER Jobs for Progress, as their first Teacher. After six years, she went on to work as a counselor for the Vocational Guidance Service for the next seven years. Bertha was married to Frank Urteaga for over 43 years; he survives.

Bertha was a forty-year member of LULAC (League of United American Citizens). She was the first woman President of LULAC Council 60, an all-male council) since its inception in 1935 and dedicated her membership to helping young adults succeeds educationally. In addition to being Council President for two terms, Bertha held various leadership positions in LULAC at the National, State, District, and Council levels.

For her entire membership-years in LULAC, she was a youth-betterment-advocate, locally and at the National Level (she was elected as National Vice President for Youth for two terms). She developed a youth program whereby busloads of senior kids, from throughout the United States, were housed 3 or 4 days at major Universities prior to our National Convention; the first one was Notre Dame.

She coordinated the establishment of more than thirty youth councils with thousands of new members. She felt the most important feature of creating youth councils was encouraging continuing education, reaching for the stars, setting high expectations, giving back to the community, and supporting the attendance at state and national forums, including those at elite university programs.

Berta launched a monthly free LULAC community civic-information breakfast twelve years ago that continues with enthusiastic attendance by members of Houston’s Latino community, and at times, has hundreds of attendees. As well, Bertha made times to create a Latina Women in Leadership organization in South, Texas.

She was preceded in death by her parents Alfonso and Dolores Leandro, one sister Odilia Ramirez, brother-in-law Alfonso Ramirez, and one grandchild Sara Yvette Quinones.

She is survived by her husband Frank C. Urteaga, four children Debra (Keith) Quinones, Melissa (Michael) Del Angel, Michael (Rosie) Urteaga, and Delores (David) Castor; grandchildren Nicole Meza, Nicholas (Lora) Meza, Alyssa (Rafael) Gallo, Danielle Pierce, Joshua Del Angel, Jeremy Del Angel, Mia Del Angel, Manuel Urteaga, Clarissa Urteaga, Destiny Urteaga, Isabella Urteaga, Aiden Urteaga, and Michael Urteaga; and great grandchildren Syriana Smith, Brendan Meza, Savanah Meza, Jordan Pierce, Liam Pierce, and Emma Salinas. Also surviving are her sisters Aurora (Temo) Rodriguez, Ninfa Leandro, and Alma Gloria Jara; as well as many dear nieces, nephews and extended family.

Visitation will be held Friday July 29, 2022 at Forest Park East Funeral Home with a Rosary service starting at 5:00PM and visitation ending at 8:00PM. Funeral Service will be 10:00AM Saturday, July 30, 2022 in the Chapel with cremation to follow.

The family will host a reception after the Funeral Service, at the Knights of Columbus Hall located at 6320 Madden Lane, Houston, TX 77048.