Elvira Flores Castillo

Elvira “Vera” Sanchez Flores Castillo was called home by our Lord Jesus Christ on Monday, April 5, 2021. She was a loving and devoted wife to William “Bill” Castillo for over 53 years, a doting mother to Carol Lynn (Castillo) Doud and Veronica Ann (Castillo) Robertson along with their husbands, Ronnie G. Doud Jr. and Christopher Scott Robertson, as well as a loving sister, sister-in-law, aunt, Godmother, friend, and colleague to countless others. She is survived by her husband, daughters and sons-in-law, along with her sister Carmen (Flores) Hanks and brothers: Frank Flores, Jimmy Flores, Louis Flores, Rodolfo “Rudy” Flores, and Robert Flores. She is preceded in death by her parents Gregorio “Frank” T. Flores and Fernanda Sanchez Flores; brothers: Joseph Flores, Ponce Flores, and Mike Flores; sisters: Virginia (Flores) Martinez and Mary (Flores) Gil, and other family members. God’s plan did not include grandchildren for Vera, but she was blessed with many fur-grandbabies, which she loved.

A native of Houston, Texas, Vera grew up in Bonita Gardens where she spent many days riding her bicycle, enjoying family celebrations, cooking and baking with her mom, jumping off the roof into piles of leaves, and attending church; initially at the local Presbyterian Church, then mass at Our Lady of St. John’s Catholic Church, were she and Bill married on August 20, 1967. Bill and Vera bought their first and only home in Oak Forest, where they lived and raised their two beautiful daughters, and attended weekly mass: first at St. Rose of Lima Catholic parish, and ultimately St. Patrick Catholic Church where they became longtime parishioners.

Vera had many hobbies and interests throughout her life including music, the beach, sewing, crafts, and helping her parents tend to their property in Conroe where she would “play farmer”. She was competitive, loved board games, enjoyed playing and watching sports, but even more so, she enjoyed watching her daughters compete. She was a fixture in the stands at their many sporting events and was often the loudest cheerleader in the place. The consummate sports fanatic: she loved volleyball, basketball, football, softball, and tennis. Some of her favorite teams were the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Longhorns, the Houston Oilers and the Astros; she even came around to liking the Texans. She and her daughters, along with other family members, would often have text chains going as they would watch the different sporting events “together”.

Education was a very important part of her life. Her years of schooling included time at Bowie Elementary, Burbank Middle School, Marshall Junior High, and Jefferson Davis High School in Houston where she played badminton and volleyball with a wicked side-arm serve. Her love of learning was exemplified in her return to school and earning an Associates’ Degree in Applied Science in Child Development (with High Honors) at the age of sixty-two.

Vera’s talents and passions were numerous. She began her professional career in the Customer Service field at Dora’s Beauty Shop and then landed a job as a Legal Secretary at a Law Firm in Downtown Houston. Her gift of teaching was discovered when she started volunteering as a “room mother” when her youngest daughter became school-aged. She eventually taught numerous Kindergarteners reading and writing, but more importantly, The Word of God at both St. Rose of Lima and Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Schools in Houston for a combined profession of more than thirty years.

Through her hospitable and charitable ways, Vera became a great example of service, and instilled the values of compassion and love in her daughters. Mom helped her daughter Carol minister to hundreds of military families at U.S. Air Force installations in Florida, North Dakota, California, Utah, Texas, Washington D.C., and Maryland. This work took many forms: one of which was introducing delicious homemade Tex-Mex food to Airmen from around the country; and for those blessed to be Texans, represented a taste of “home”. By far, Mom’s preferred acts of service were caring for military moms and their newborns, and doling out warm mom hugs. In Austin, Texas, she was a frequent visitor at the Texas Board of Nursing’s Operations Office where her daughter Veronica worked. “Bahama”, as she was known by many, delivered words of encouragement and homemade snacks as they went about their important work.

She was a defender of family and friends, as well as a supporter of the underrepresented. Elvira Flores Castillo’s love and kindness extended far and wide and her legacy will undoubtedly live on through

those she touched throughout her very blessed life.

She was loved by many and will be greatly missed by all… forever and a day.

"I have fought the good fight. I have completed the course. I have kept the faith. Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.”

2 Timothy 4