Sarah Lopez Ornelas

Sarah Lopez Ornelas, 83, of Gregory, TX, passed away in Temple, TX, on February 3, 2022. She was preceded in death by her loving spouse of 59 years, Raul Ornelas, who passed away only a handful of months prior. Theirs was the kind of love that could handle everything except losing each other.

Sarah was funny, whip-smart and versatile. She danced through the decades easily, mastering new knowledge and hi-tech gadgets as soon as they came out. She went from being the fastest cotton picker as a young girl in the 1950s, to thriving in her 80s as a messaging, FaceTiming, Zooming machine, flexing the technological mind she credited from her early career days at Texas Instruments.

When she married Raul and their Army life started, she was as quick to adapt to new culture as she was technology. She got her first driver’s license learning to drive in Japan, where the road rules are opposite ours. Every job she took at a new Army base, a new city or country, she rose to management level — she worked hard and smart and established herself quickly.

Before retiring, her last gig was working with kids at the Fort Hood Child Development Center. As her grand and great-grandkids can attest, she adored children. She saw so much potential in every child, and was always generous with hugs and affirmations. The family home always had extra space for cousins and friends who needed a safe space and a dose of her encouraging and all-encompassing love. Family was always 100% at the center of everything she did, and like everything else, she did it with her whole heart.

An ice storm howled outside the evening she left us, like the world itself was mirroring the grieving hearts of her family and friends. She died peacefully, slipping quietly away with family by her bedside, their hands in hers.

She is preceded in death by her parents, José and Guadalupe Lopez, brother Gregorio Lopez,

and sisters Antonia Garza and Consuela Rodriguez.

She is survived by her daughters Nora Arellano (José) of Temple, Rachel Ornelas of New Orleans, and Terry Woodroffe (Daniel) of Austin; her beloved granddaughters, Lisa Creamer (Patrick) of Andover, KS, Christina Arellano-Aponte (Roberto) of New Braunfels, Marissa Arellano of San Marcos, only grandson, Ethan Woodroffe of Austin; and adored great-grandchildren William and Olivia Creamer. Sarah’s whole world was her children, and these kids were surrounded by her boundless love. As she would say often and true — “I love you more.”

Sarah is also survived by her sisters, Francisca Neira from Dallas, TX; Álvaro Lopez from Gregory, TX; Dora Torres from Gregory, TX; Gloria White (Chalmer) from Rye, TX; Linda Kerr from Balch Springs, TX; Susana Brixius (Orien) from Gregory, TX; and brother José Lopez Jr. (Imelda) from Gregory, TX and many loved cousins, nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to the 8th floor nursing staff at Scott and White Temple for their incredible care, and to Paula Flores, Mom's angel.

Visitation at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple, TX, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 4:30-7 p.m., followed by a rosary at 7 p.m.

Funeral services will take place at the funeral home on Wednesday, Feb 16, 2022, at 10 a.m., followed by burial at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen at 1 p.m. The service will be livestreamed via the funeral home's website at scanioharperfuneralhome.com.