Domitila "Tila" Orozco was born in Gay Hill Texas, the middle child of twelve born to Josefa and Gonzalo Orozco. She was raised with love and faith. She had five very protective brothers who were unsure of her dating choice, Daniel Portales. Impressing everyone, Daniel brought the parish priest, Father Buades, to the Orozco home and asked Tila's father for permission to date her. Mr. Orozco granted permission to date, and dating turned to marriage on November 25, 1961. Ever after, they celebrated their anniversary on Thanksgiving. Daniel and Tila were married for 60 years. Together, Dan and Tila raised three children, Josie, Christy, and Daniel Jr., with unconditional love. Tila was their superhero and Dan was their cheerleader.
The Portales family were members of Santa Teresa Catholic Church. Tila was a longtime member of the Guadalupanas, and she could always be counted on to make delicious, homemade treats for fundraising sales.
Earning the well-deserved nicknames of Mama Tila and Daddy Dan, Tila and Dan loved children and offered loving and tender child care to more than 100 kids over their life together. In the case of Daddy Dan and Mama Tila, three generations of kids doesn't simply mean "60 years of kids". They babysat both the grandparents and the parents of some of their most recent crop of "babysit-ees".
Anyone walking into the Portales home would immediately be hugged and fed. Daddy Dan was known for his deliciously hot salsa, and Mama Tila was famous for her tasty gorditas. She was even planning to make a batch of gorditas the weekend before her passing.
Domitila is preceded in death by her parents, Josefa and Gonzalo Orozco. Her siblings who passed are Jorge Orozco,Abrahan(Aurelia) Orozco, Marcos(Crezencio) Vega, Antanacia Orozco, Lorenzo(Juanita) Orozco, Benino(Rosa) Orozco, Guadalupe(Santiago) Arredondo and Maria (Benino) Robledo.
She is survived by siblings and a sister-in-law Lucia Orozco(George), Marcelina(Francisco) Maldonado, Miguel(Clementina) Orozco, and Phyllis(David) Garcia. Also surviving her loss her daughters, Josie and Christina; son, Daniel, Jr. (Patricia Quintanilla); granddaughter, Ramzi Portales and granddaughter of her heart, Dominica De Leon (Walker Hart) and their children Deegan De Leon, Willow Hart; and Walker Bill Hart, ll.
Visitation will be from 6:00 pm until 7:00 pm with the recitation of the Rosary at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at Memorial Funeral Chapel in College Station. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 am, Wednesday, May 29 at Santa Teresa Catholic Church, 1212 Lucky Street, Bryan.
Committal will follow at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Bryan.
