Lupita Orta Pena

She is preceded in death by her loving husband, Lionel G. Peña of 60 years; daughter, Ramona Peña Gomez; grand-daughter, Michelle Ramona Lira; parents, Francisco and Herlinda Orta; sisters, Frances Orta, Ofelia Orta Cole; brothers, Elias Orta, Johnny Orta and Frank Orta. She is survived by her children; Herlinda Peña Hernandez (Tony), Lupita Peña Saldivar (Amado), Lionel Peña (Cindy); 13 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren; sisters, Julia, Dominga and Gloria; brothers, Daniel and Israel.

Lupita was born in Weslaco, TX on August 6, 1946. The family lived in the Richmond/Rosenberg area in her early childhood years. As a young teenager the family moved to Houston, TX. She lived in second ward and attended Lubbock Junior High. She lived at Canales Courts and Lionel lived on Palmer St. Lionel first saw Lupita in this area when she walked home from school. Lionel always said he fell in love with her beautiful green eyes and gorgeous legs! They married on April 19, 1960. Lupita worked cleaning homes in the River Oaks area, she also worked downtown assembling handbags at Karen Purses. She then became a mother and for the rest of her life she devoted herself to raising her 4 children. Lupita was always active with all of her children in school, attended field trips, class activities and always helped her children with homework. She made her children’s lunches, dropped them off and picked them up every day. Daily she made homemade meals for the family and taught them many life lessons: to cook, clean and sew too. Lupita was a self-taught seamstress. She made outfits for her children and began to sew for others, it was her passion and she was so good at it. She could sew with or without a pattern, she made her own designs and made hundreds of dresses (weddings, quinceañera’s, bridesmaids, prom), costumes, alterations of all sorts. She even made bouquets, boutonnieres, and homecoming mums. She had so many customers and always sewed to please no matter if she was charging enough or not! Lupita believed in making everyone happy and feeling good in whatever they were wearing. She sewed for clients who would come back to her throughout the years from making costumes to prom dresses, weddings and alterations, some returning to her with their own children for their sewing needs.

Lupita also managed to help raise all her grandchildren. The grandchildren referred to her house as Grandma School. She was the day care for all the grandkids. She taught them so many lessons, showed them so much love, discipline and great times for years to come.

Lupita and Lionel taught their children about the Lord, and it was mandatory to be in church with them every Sunday morning! The family attended Our Lady of Guadalupe Church for many, many years. As everyone got older the children chose to attend other churches, and Lupita would alternate Sundays between Church at the Cross and Lindale Assembly of God. Her faith grew and she loved all her church friends and attending church activities.

A visitation will be held at Funeraria Del Angel, located at 5100

Lupita was a good cook, some of the family favorites include: her beef soup with ox tails, menudo and meatloaf.

Lupita even learned how to prepare and file taxes and had a client base in that area as well. She was good on the computer and also paid her own bills online. She managed her emails and loved to text. She wasn’t afraid to learn anything new, and she’d be good at it.

She had so many friends and enjoyed texting and visiting with them. She had long-time relationships and truly valued people. She would invite anyone into her home and in her later years would sit and comfort those who had lost loved ones and tell them about God as well.

Lupita was also a care giver. She provided care for her mom, sister (Frances), father-in-law, childhood friends (The Beltran’s), Tia Lala, her husband, her daughter (Mona).

This last year, starting in August, Lupita began to have several health issues. In the last months she had several procedures done and some were not successful and unfortunately became unbearable for her. She had been in and out of the hospital and seemed like every procedure just made her weaker. She tried her best to recover but she reached a point when she no longer wanted any more procedures done and asked us to release her and let her go with the Lord. Recently, she was baptized as an adult and was very happy about that. Her family delights in her for being a wonderful mother/grandmother to all. The Lord blessed them beyond measure with their Mom!

She was loving, forgiving and loved unconditionally. Her children will strive to navigate the rest of their lives in accordance with how she and Lionel raised them. From your children - we will miss you for the rest of our lives, we will love you forever more!