Maria A. Graham

Maria Aurora (Rory) Montalvo Graham went to be with the Lord on 22 June 2020. She was born to the late Samuel Montalvo and Rafaela Cavazos Montalvo in March 1937 at Tanquecitos Ranch near Lyford, TX. She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Samuel Montalvo, Jr and Eddie Montalvo; and a baby son, James Robert Graham. She is survived by her loving husband of 60 years, John R Graham of San Antonio, TX; son, Navy Captain (Ret) Jeffrey R. Graham and wife, Allison and their daughters, Bethany and Lillia; and son John R. (Jay) Graham III and his wife, Jean and their children, James, Kay, and Kara. Surviving Maria also were two brothers, Rafael Montalvo and Miguel Montalvo and his wife, Enriqueta; and her two sisters, Romanita Flores and Lucy Garza and her husband, Paul; and her sisters-in-law, Dora Elfida Montalvo and Melba Solis. Surviving also were numerous cousins, nephews, nieces, other family members and many dear friends.

Maria graduated from Lyford High School and earned a BS degree in Nursing Education (RN) from Incarnate Word University and a Masters degree in School Administration from Our Lady of the Lake University. Her illustrious teaching career spanned 37 years, in San Antonio at SAISD and NISD, and included stints in Ohio, Washington D.C., Oklahoma, and Ramstein AB Germany. Maria was highly regarded and respected by her colleagues and her students' parents and loved by her students. She received many honors and awards from her school administrators. She was often called a "Miracle Worker" and "Master Teacher" by her fellow teachers. She was known for her great love for her students, her sense of humor and ready smile, her kindness and being a "good Samaritan". In her personal life, her legacy is her devotion to her husband, her family and grandchildren, her friends and her church. Values she taught her family were to love God, love one another, be good husbands and good parents, and be good citizens, not only within the community but the whole world. Her hobbies were cooking, reading, traveling and volunteering in her church. She was a great cook and her home-made flour tortillas, tamales, and other "Mexican food" dishes were always looked forward to by her family and her close friends. She was a member of University United Methodist Church.

MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR FAMILY

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020

10:00 AM

PORTER LORING MORTUARY NORTH

2102 NORTH LOOP 1604 EAST

Inurnment will follow at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (https://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org) or for stem cell research.

We ask friends who wish they could have been present to share in this recorded version of her celebration of life: