November 15, 1932 – October 3, 2026
Maria Isabel Pora, age 93, of Houston, Texas, passed away on October 3, 2026. She was born on November 15, 1932, in Calama, Chile, to Isabel and Modesto Valdivia, and grew up alongside three sisters and four brothers.
Maria devoted her life to her family. She was a stay at home mother who gave her children her time, her attention, and her love, and they remain deeply grateful for all she gave them.
She had a true green thumb and loved gardening. She also loved animals, especially cats. Maria was a wonderful baker and cook, known for her homemade Chilean cuisine. She treasured her visits to the mountains of Chile and the Atacama Desert. A woman of Catholic faith, she attended St. Cyril of Alexandria Catholic Parish.
Maria is survived by her daughter, Valeria; her sons, Julio, Roberto, Carlos, and William; her grandchildren, Roxanne Spain and her husband, Kevin, Amir Nikooie, Daniel Balbontin and his wife, Leslie, and Isabel Balbontin; her great-grandchildren, Amelia Balbontin, Atticus Balbontin, and Eva Bagnoche; and her youngest sister, Noemi Valdivia, of Chile.
