Sara Quintanilla Reyes

Born in Austin on January 13, 1924 to Braulio Quintanilla and Maria Vargas, Sara is preceded in death by her brothers Braulio, Samuel, and Joel Quintanilla, her sisters Carmen Quiroz and Consuelo Martinez, and her husband Paul G. Reyes. She is survived by her brother Josue Quintanilla, daughter Rebecca Reyes Ligon, granddaughter Maria Alexandria Ligon, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Sara attended Pease School and Austin High School and earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. She was also a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma society, Eta Tau Chapter in Austin, Texas.

Sara was a champion of education, and taught in the Austin Independent School District from 1945 to 1986. The majority of her teaching career was spent at Palm School, though she spent the latter years of her teaching career at Casis Elementary, retiring from there in 1986. Sara taught all grades from 1 through 4, with 4th grade being her favorite. Sara loved teaching and throughout the course of her 41 year career made a positive and lasting impact on the lives of thousands of children in the city of Austin.

In addition to teaching, Sara loved to garden and took pride in maintaining her yard; her azaleas and roses were especially beautiful. She also loved to read, and though she lost her eyesight in the later years of her life, she remained connected to books and literature through the Talking Books program.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Books for the Blind or Reading is Fundamental.

Services for Sara will be held at Weed-Corley-Fish, 2620 South Congress Ave., Austin, Texas. The visitation will be held on Friday, July 16, 2010 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 2:00 pm, with burial at Austin Memorial Cemetery, 2800 Hancock Drive. Sara’s family will receive visitors at the home of Rebecca Reyes Ligon after the service.

"WHY GOD MADE TEACHERS”

When God created teachers,

He gave us special friends

To help us understand His world

And truly comprehend

The beauty and the wonder

Of everything we see,

And become a better person

With each discovery.

When God created teachers,

He gave us special guides

To show us ways in which to grow

So we can all decide

How to live and how to do

What's right instead of wrong,

To lead us so that we can lead

And learn how to be strong.

Why God created teachers,

In His wisdom and His grace,

Was to help us learn to make our world

A better, wiser place.

Author Unknown

(The photo pictured above is from Palm School 1947 ~ 1948.)