Paula (Polly) Cortez Marquez

Paula (Polly) Cortez Marquez passed away August 6, 2014 while surrounded by her family after a lengthy battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Paula was born June 26, 1938 in Terlingua, TX.

She is preceded in death by her parents Emeterio & Lasara Cortez; her siblings Maria Galvan, Ricarda Soltero, Jimmy Cortez, Angie Alvarado and Danny Cortez.

Those left to remember her include her husband Carlos Marquez, her siblings: Mike Cortez, Locadio Cortez, Johnny Cortez, Evaristo (Mark) Cortez and Yolanda Hernandez; her five children and their spouses: Chris & Julie Marquez, Monica & Matthew Gerard, Paul (Greg) & Leticia Marquez, Charlie & Trish Marquez, and David & Mari Marquez as well as ten grandchildren: Annette, Melissa, LeAndra, Sabrina, Gaby, Ariane, Paul, Armand, Andre and Veronica; and two great-grandchildren: Alex and Faith.

Paula was a member of the Odessa High School graduating class of 1957. On June 30, 1956 during her senior year of high school she was crowned queen of the American GI Forum. During high school she spent some time honoring God in a convent where she considered becoming a nun. Although this was her plan, God placed her on a different path and sent her Carlos whom she fell in love with and decided to marry on September 5, 1959. In 2013, Paula and Carlos

celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary.

Her love and care didn't stop within the family she opened her arms to anyone who was in need of a friend. She was a devout Catholic and she took great pride in her faith. One of her favorite saints was St. Francis of Assisi because of how gentle and kind he was which attracted God’s creatures toward him. For many years she was a parishioner of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. She was more than thrilled to raise her children in the Catholic community and sent all five of them to St. Mary’s Catholic School.

She has worked for: Two Rivers Pipeline, Three Way Constructors, Bob Colin Insurance Company, Bill Rea Insurance Company, Compressor Systems Incorporated among many other businesses. She loved to be out in the community and when she could she would volunteer her time with Hospice.

Some of her hobbies included: singing, dancing, shopping, solving crossword puzzles, reading and learning anything new. When she would go dancing with her husband, the band would always play “In The Mood” by Glenn Miller in order to see them dance the jitterbug together. She especially loved twirling because her skirt would float up around her. However, her absolute favorite activity was to spend quality time with her loved ones.

Rosary will be held at Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home at 7:00 pm, Sunday, August 10, 2014. Funeral Mass will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Monday, August 11, 2014 at 11:00 am.. Interment will follow at Ector County Cemetery, Los Angeles section. Please feel free to wear her favorite color to these gatherings: pink.

Pallbearers will be Paul Marquez, Armand and Andre Gerard, Karl Saldivar, Pano and Selso Mata.

The family would like to thank everyone in Home Hospice for their help with mom during her four and a half year struggle with ALS. We appreciate everything you did for us. God Bless!

Gifts in her memory may be made in care of “Polly’s Angels” to the ALS Association - Texas Chapter, 8600 Wurzbach, Suite 700, San Antonio, TX 78240 (www.alsa.org).

Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home.