Gloria Amenedo

I don’t know how many of you know her full name but it is Maria Gloria Guillermina de la Riva Pinal Amenedo. She was best known as Gloria Amenedo. She was born on August 7, 1938 in Mexico City. She grew up in a house in Chalco, Mexico and was the oldest of 9 children. In 1958 when She was visiting a great aunt in Houston, Tia Esperanza, she went to a “Matinee Dance” with her cousin, Rose Marie, and this is where Gloria first met the love of her life, Jesús. They recently celebrated their 62nd anniversary on October 25th. Theirs is a love everlasting.

Gloria passed away on November 7, 2021 at age 83 following a lengthy 5 year long battle with an aggressive meningioma brain tumor. She was surrounded by her loving family.

When she became ill and the tumor was discovered she was told that surgery was not an option because of its location on the brain stem. That was not an acceptable answer so a neurosurgeon was found that gave her a chance to live a little longer.

She went through two craniotomies, first one in November 2016, the second one in November 2018 in the hopes of giving her more time to enjoy her life and her family. It would be wrong to say that Gloria lost her battle because she never gave up the fight, remaining steadfast and determined that her faith would get her through.

No matter how ill, from chemotherapy, gamma knife procedures, radiation or pushing herself physically in rehabilitation, she was always determined and remained steadfast. When anyone else would have broken and said enough is enough, she stayed strong. Gloria never gave up the fight.

Through her we learned more about what love of family, resilience, perseverance and faith in God can do. She was a fighter! Her family grieves her loss but also takes comfort in knowing that she is resting peacefully surrounded by those who have preceded her in death: her beloved mother Josefína de la Riva Pinal, her son Tony and her daughter Josefína Pilar. Gloria is survived by her husband, Jesús, her daughter, Rocío and husband Rick Church, children Jordí and Demí. Her son Guillermo and wife Veronica, sons Nicolas and wife Alexis, Alejandro and two great grandchildren Summerlynn and Christopher.

Gloria lived life with vigor and zest. She was a proud and dignified woman who had a passion for life. She loved traveling the world with her beloved Jesús, loved learning about new cultures and soaking up each experience to the fullest. She was a wonderful listener, always empathetic. She endeared herself to everyone she met and it is a great testament to her radiant personality that she enjoyed many long lasting friendships over the years of her life.

Let’s carry on her legacy by making the people around us feel special – and by making friends wherever we go.

A visitation for Gloria will be held Friday, November 12, 2021 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Heights Funeral Home, 1317 Heights Blvd., Houston, Texas 77001. A rosary will recited at 7:00 PM. A memorial service will occur Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 3:00 PM, at Heights Funeral Home.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.heightsfuneralhome.com for the Amenedo family.