Teresa Cantu

‘Tere’, as she was known to her loved ones and friends, was born on January 13, 1944. And anyone she ever met was reminded of when her birthday was. She always made sure to tell people of her upcoming birthday and would ask for either lottery tickets, tacos, or money. When Tere was born, it was not immediately known that she would be a very special person in her life. It wasn’t until early on in her childhood development that her parents knew that Tere was part of one of the many special needs people in this world. Mentally her mind never grew past the age of 7 or 8, but that didn’t stop her from living a full and productive life.

Tere spent most of her time in her early and mid life with her parents, Carlos C. and Dolores J. Cantu. In her youth, she attended a school for children with special needs in which she was taught the basic fundamentals of self care and homemaking skills which was customary for women during the 1950’s. It was during this time that Tere learned how to care for babies and children, learned how to take care of her hygiene, laundry care, and one of her best attributes she ever learned, making the best, most delicious homemade tortillas of all time.

She spent the next 40 years, assisting with the care and rearing of her multiple nieces and nephews, assisting her parents with whatever they needed, raising cats and dogs, playful bantering with her father, Carlos, and making friends with whomever crossed her path. She loved her family very much, and especially her nieces and nephews, but was quick to make sure they stayed in line. She loved her brother and sisters very much, and she was particularly close to her sisters, Carmen and Gracie, who she lived with for most of her life. There are so many good stories that people can say about Tere, but the one thing that people will always remember was her calm, sweet, and innocent nature.

One of Tere’s favorite past times was watching anything that had to do with cowboys and horses. Her favorite cowboy of all time was John Wayne. It was always her dream to own and ride a horse, but it was a dream she never got to realize in this lifetime. When her mother, Dolores J. Cantu, passed away in January 2010, Tere’s permanent place of living was with her sister, Gracie Cantu, in Houston, Texas. During this time, she began attending Garden Oaks Adult Day Care Center in which she was an active daily attending client. She made many friends during that time, but when the Covid pandemic hit in 2020, this ceased her attendance permanently from her beloved “Center”.

She spent most of 2020 and early 2021, with her sister Carmen, at their home in Houston. She was not able to go much of anywhere, and this caused her health to begin to deteriorate. She began to walk less, and see less due to her failing eyesight. But this did not stop Tere from attempting to help out where she could with chores around her home. One particular memorable time, was when her sister Gracie, walked in on Tere washing dishes in the kitchen. She could not see, but she could feel her way around the kitchen. She was washing dishes, drying them, and cleaning the counters all with her eyes closed and limited mobility. This is who she was, a fighter until the end.

In 2021, Tere became ill with an intestinal problem that caused her to stop walking. She was admitted to the hospital and from there her condition only got worse and she was brought to home hospice with her sister, Gracie, in October 2021. Gracie, along with Tere’s great nephew, Nicholas Ochoa, took daily care of Tere to make sure all her needs were met. Tere enjoyed her time with her great nieces and nephews and was in good spirits up until the day she passed. When asked how she was, she would always reply with “Fine” and a little smile. The day before her death, her loved ones, Gracie Cantu, Nicholas Ochoa, Angela, Ivan, and Vincent Benevich, Angelina Nagel, Peter, Elizabeth, Rio, and Luna Cantu, Nimmi Thomas, Carmen Keegan, Rachel Rocha, Isabel Rocha, and Aurora Torres all prayed the Divine Mercy to ask for God’s assistance in welcoming her home. Her family read her favorite book, Black Beauty, put on Christian music for her to listen to, and laughed, cried, and talked about their favorite times. Later that night, Tere closed her eyes for the last time here on this Earth and opened them in the arms of Jesus and awaiting her was the most beautiful white horse ever imaginable. Tere was made whole again in mind and spirit and she galloped into Heaven on her beautiful white horse, where her parents and passed loved ones before her, were eagerly her awaiting her arrival.

We will always remember our special, precious, Teresita for the rest of our lives.

Teresa was preceded in death by her loving parents, Carlos C. and Dolores J. Cantu. She is survived by her sisters and brothers-in-law: Lucila Gonzalez, Berta Lew, Christina De La Garza, Gracie Cantu-Torres, Carmen Keegan; brother and sister-in-law Robert ( Lupita) Cantu; numerous nieces and nephews.

Honored to serve as pallbearers will be Ashton Cantu, Martin Cantu, Charles Keegan, Rodney Cantu, Michael Gonzalez, Jr., Jimmy Lew, Jr., and Nicholas Ochoa

A visitation for Teresa will be held Sunday, May 8, 2022 from 4:00 PM at Funeraria Del Angel Trevino Funeral Home, 226 Cupples Road, San Antonio, TX 78237. A rosary service will occur Sunday, May 8, 2022 from 6:00 PM, 226 Cupples Road, San Antonio, TX 78237. A funeral service will occur Monday, May 9, 2022 from 12:00 PM at St. Timothy Catholic Church, 1515 Saltillo, San Antonio, TX 78207. A committal service will occur Monday, May 9, 2022 from 1:30 PM at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, 1520 Harry Wurzbach Rd., San Antonio, TX 78209.

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