Rita Medina Salinas, born February 3, 1932, in Corpus Christi, Texas, entered Heaven's Gate on April 24, 2024, at the age of 92 years, after a twelve-year journey through Vascular Dementia. Rita touched everyone with her love, warmth, grace, and compassion. She brought joy to all who knew her and always showed concern for the well-being of her family and loved ones before her own.
She was preceded in death by her parents Pioquinto and Evelyn Hoy Medina, husband Perry E. Salinas, brother Joe Medina, son-in-law Edward L. Monhollen, Jr. and grandson John Hoste. Survivors include sister Patricia (Mike) Hernandez, daughters Debbie(Dahlia) and Denis Klepac, Cynthia Monhollen, Sonya (Tom) Knight, Rita Saavedra, Sylvia (Jeff) Dennes; grandchildren Brad (Jodi) Klepac, Michelle Hoste, Nicole (Jay) Hook, Erin (Mickey) Bordonaro, Allison Knight Henry, Brittany (Ryan) Olson, Chelsea (Justin) Aguilar, Austin Saavedra, Ryan Saavedra, Cameo (Dylan) Jenkins, and Colton Dennes; great grandchildren Raleigh Jenkins and Rylee Aguilar; sisters-in-law Dora Medina and Minerva Rodriguez.
Rita spent her early years in Brownsville, TX and loved to share wonderful stories of life on the farm; drinking warm milk straight from the cow, riding to school with her brother on a horse, her father playing the guitar in the evenings, and her mother preparing fresh-off-the farm chicken dishes. She attended Brownsville High School, Del Mar Junior College in Corpus Christi, and received her teaching degree from Our Lady of the Lake University, the latter completed while pregnant with her fifth daughter.
Rita was a dedicated and much-admired elementary school teacher who taught for over 34 years in the San Antonio Independent School District. Even after her retirement, former students who might see her out in public would run up to her to say, “Miss Salinas! Miss Salinas!”, hug her and thank her for the positive impact she had on their lives.
She was artistically gifted and active throughout her life. A talented musician, she was first chair clarinet in her high school band and learned to play piano in college (she loved to play Liebestraum). She also loved acting and in high school had a lead role in the play “I Remember Mama.” It was always fun when she would perform some of her dramatic lines for us. She sang in an acapella group and in the St. Luke’s choir well into her 70s. Even deep into her dementia journey, she loved music and could still remember songs and lyrics and play pieces on the piano. She was an avid gardener with an amazing green thumb. She maintained her yard and a beautiful garden at her home and often nursed plants back to health for family members with not-so-green thumbs. Despite her communication difficulties in the last year, she always could clearly say, “How beautiful”, when she saw flowers or even colorful clothing. She enjoyed her time as a member and leader of the Garden Club.
She was also a gifted artist, painting numerous landscape portraits that her children have proudly on display in their homes. She loved to travel and was able to visit so many beautiful places around the world, including Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Alaska, Panama, Puerto Rico, Spain, Ireland and Hawaii, and she traveled extensively in Mexico throughout her life. She was always game for adventure, including riding ATVs, hiking a rainforest, and kayaking in a bioluminescent bay in her 70s. She was an excellent seamstress and sewed clothes and gowns for her children, family and friends, costumes for the grandchildren, curtains and household linens, and altered and embroidered many a ball gown and wedding dress.
She and her husband were actively Involved in the Black and White Ball and Sembradores de Amistad cultural organizations and loved to dance and host many a late night gathering in their treasured home overlooking the city. She was always ready to host planned or spontaneous gatherings. After her husband’s passing in 2000, she remained socially active on her own.
She had a remarkable capacity to love and care for others. How she managed with 5 daughters, a full-time job, caring for her mother, husband, and grandchildren, and still pursued creative interests, we will never know, but we admire her greatly for her success in doing so and for her zest for life. Her smile could brighten anyone’s day and a hug from her was there when you needed it. She left us a legacy of love and a strong sense of family. We are all so blessed for having had her in our lives and thankful that God shared her with us for so many years. We have another special Angel in heaven watching over us.
The family would like to thank the staff and care partners at Poet’s Walk Memory Care Community and Concho Hearts Hospice for caring for our mother with such compassion and love.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s research https://www.alzinfo.org/ or a charity of your choice
.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.6