Rosalinda Robles Ellis

Our mother fought a valiant battle against cancer, defeating it four times and in addition, survived a heart attack. In her latest battle with MDS, she fought it to the end. Each victory was followed by a new chapter in her life, and through it all she never showed fear. She never lost her faith, and she never raised the white flag. Even in her final days, she was asking, “What’s next?”. Her resilience inspired not only doctors and nurses but also fellow cancer patients and her family and friends, who rallied around her every time. She was known by many aliases - Rosa, Rose, Ms Rose, Rosie, Momma Rose, Rosiecakes, Nonnie, Tía, Aunt Rose and of course Mom.

She was born in San Antonio, TX, on January 20, 1947, to Rosalio and Reyes Robles. Mom was a proud Texan and always made sure everyone knew she was also a devoted Democrat. Her lifelong love for the Dallas Cowboys, the Longhorns, the Houston Astros, and later the Houston Texans was also well known. Growing up on Austin’s "east side" was a source of pride for her and she never missed an opportunity to mention it.

As a young child, mom was raised by her Tía Victoria and Tío Manuel. They lovingly took her in, not wanting her in the cotton fields while her mother and siblings worked. Tía Victoria, a seamstress for Sears, occasionally would handcraft clothing for mom. She attended Palm School through the 6th grade and later in life completed her education, demonstrating her interest in learning (she hated fractions). A lifelong learner, mom loved reading, watching the news, and always asked “Why?”. She never shied away from a debate and firmly believed that apple cider vinegar and Vicks VapoRub could cure just about anything. Mom also had some more unconventional remedies up her sleeve, from using an egg to the use of a flaming paper funnel to cure an earache!

Our mother taught us the joy of dancing and how to feel the soul of our culture from the rhythm of Mariachi music to the sounds of Little Joe y La Familia. She also used this music while cleaning the house as a motivator. Mom took dancing lessons at Arthur Murray dance school and took belly dancing lessons.

Mom embraced modern technology with enthusiasm. Once she discovered Google, Facebook, and WhatsApp (or “WhatsChappy” as she called it), she was hooked on scrolling, texting, posting, learning, and discovering the world. Rumor has it she was in Facebook ‘jail’ a time or two!

A devoted mother of five (Mike, Lewis, Cyndi, Rudy, and Christine) she cherished family gatherings at home where she would cook and would teach her grandchildren how to roll out homemade tortillas. Mom could be found at numerous sporting events supporting her family and could throw a fastball better than any mother we knew. A fiercely protective mother bear, mom adored her children and was equally devoted to her grandchildren: Robert, Paige, Zachary, Gabriella, Anthony, Hunter, and Casey. Her two great-grandchildren, Serena and Jasper, were her "munchkins". Mom had a special bond with each of her grandchildren, and they were all number one in her heart.

Mom’s love for gardening was well-known, and she took pride in reviving nearly dead plants and tending to her garden with items she found on sale at Lowe’s. She loved a good bargain and never passed up a garage sale. If you had something to give away, mom was there like The Salvation Army, ready to add it to her growing collection of furniture and home essentials, “just in case”.

Throughout her life, mom was active in the community, from Little League baseball umpiring to worshiping at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Pflugerville, where she often hosted the priests and seminarians from St. Edwards for brunch. Later, she moved to Round Rock and began attending St. William’s Catholic Church. There, she discovered a passion for helping those in need. She joined a group of medical missionaries who travelled to Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and other parts of Latin America. She worked alongside doctors, dentists, nurses, and volunteers, providing medical care in impoverished villages.

Growing up with eight siblings and experiencing a childhood with little means, inspired mom to help others. Long before Airbnb was even a concept mom opened her home to countless family members, friends, and those in need. Her house had an open-door policy, and she was always willing to help.

Mom was no stranger to hard work, one of her core values. Over the years, she held many jobs, including waitress, microchip assembler, chiropractic assistant, certified therapist practitioner, nursing home caretaker, freelance home health provider, IBM engineering support assistant, retail worker, and food truck entrepreneur. She even worked at a butcher shop at age 13. Mom’s work ethic was unmatched, and there was nothing she would not try.

Mom will be remembered for her kindness, exceptional cooking, sharp wit, unwavering commitment to family and friends, her stubborn streak, and occasional sharp tongue. She had a special gift for making everyone feel loved and cherished, though she also had a knack for challenging the in-laws, which would often create a bit of discomfort. She liked to say “I am keeping them on their toes and they know I love them”.

Mom is survived by her loving children, Mike (Patricia), Lewis (Julie), Cynthia Ann, Rudy (Yvonne), and Christine Ortegon Lee (Ryan), seven grandchildren, two great grandchildren, two siblings, Delfina and Victor, and more than 30 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Hilario, Mercy, Eva, Juan, Joe, John.

A memorial service will be held on November 9th, 2024.

1pm – 2pm visitation and graveside services to follow immediately afterwards.

Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home

14501 North IH 35

Pflugerville, TX 78660

512-251-4881

Donations would be welcomed to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital https://www.stjude.org/ in lieu of flowers

A special thank you to:

Dr. Helmer – The catalyst of our mother’s cancer survival for over 30 years

Dr. Athira Unnikrishnan (aka Dr. Uni) – an amazing compassionate, caring, and loving human being and a terrific doctor.

The entire staff at Texas Oncology

St. Davids Healthcare – Central and North Austin

Ophelia Vargas – for opening her home to our mother when she needed a place to stay when traveling to Austin for treatment.