Dora Alicia Riojas

Many things can be said about Dora Alicia Riojas. Known to friends and acquaintances as a friendly, energetic, empathic and decisive woman, her compassionate nature would always shine through, revealing her charm, warmth and conscientious demeanor. She was warmhearted, gentle and organized in all the things she sought to accomplish. Dora was a mentor, a natural “teacher” capable of seeing things clearly, leading others and bringing out the best in all of those around her. She generally had a focus on harmony and peace.

Dora was born on January 13, 1945 in Mexico. Dora was raised in Eagle Pass, Texas. When she was young, Dora's friends and family found that “straightforward” and “honest” were perfect words to describe her. Even as a child, Dora demonstrated strong qualities of self-confidence, perceptive ability and a disposition that was enjoyable to those around her.

During her high school years, Dora had a natural flair for cheering on and applauding just about everyone. She was constantly offering her support and encouragement to fellow members of the groups and activities in which she participated. She graduated from Eagle Pass High School located in Eagle Pass, Texas in 1964. She did well in school and genuinely enjoyed telling stories in a way that drew people to her. In this way, Dora had a talent for becoming the center of attention, a kind of social catalyst. Dora was often found to be the lead person facilitating a group activity, frequently filling the role of being “the life of the party.” Teachers and classmates knew Dora as an excellent listener. She placed a high value on learning and always understood that there was a new lesson to be grasped waiting for her just around the corner.

Always considered a “good” friend, Dora sought to understand the things that others enjoyed. For this reason Dora always seemed to possess a never-ending collection of acquaintances. Dora’s friends found her easy to know and get along with because of her talent for being socially at ease, adept at conversation, and always amiable in her dealings with others. Dora would always seek to learn what her friends enjoyed, and she would go out of her way to make sure that their needs were met. Dora was always seen as the type of person who was the more gracious giver. In fact, she sometimes felt ill at ease when she was the one on the receiving end. While growing up, her best friend was Rachel Guerrero.

On January 23, Dora married Jose Riojas Jr. at the St. Leo's the Great of San Jose, California. Compassionate and devoted, Dora worked hard to make her new family happy. She was always generous with her time and this meant that Jose came first in Dora’s book. She was always caring and made certain that she considered Jose’s feelings. By trusting her emotions, Dora did her best to make sure that both the marriage and home life ran smoothly. This is just one more example of how Dora was truly a person of empathy.

Dora’s quality of being a caring and tolerant person who was very accepting of others translated to being a good mother to her children. Dora shared these values with her three children, Jose III, Angel, and Johnny. Dora was also blessed with six grandchildren, Suzanne, Celia, Mireya, Savannah, Miravel, and Esthelia. Dora related well to children of all ages and was able to connect to them on their level. The children always loved her and she was completely and totally devoted to them.

Dora experienced success in her work life over and over again. Her primary occupation was her primary occupation was working retail. She was employed by Kmart for 10 years. Dora always made the effort to understand what was needed at work, and was well known by her colleagues as a team player. Dora took pride in managing her professional responsibilities and seemed to always know what was necessary to successfully complete a project. Dora was one to take the initiative and her skills at working cooperatively were highly valued. Dora continually sought to learn what her co-workers did well and how they were most effective, a talent that enabled her to help them develop their own potential.

Because she was organized and methodical, Dora took great pleasure in her various hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were playing Bingo, dancing, cooking, and watching Walker. Dora enjoyed sharing her passions with others and could singularly focus on one hobby at a time.

Dora derived much satisfaction from sports. Because she was so instinctive and could always grasp the big picture, Dora delighted in the strategy and inner workings of a competition. Dora was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite teams' events whenever she got the opportunity. Dora's favorite team to watch were the Cowboys.

Throughout her life, Dora was actively involved in professional and community organizations. With a talent for focusing in on exactly what was required to be completed, Dora was known to her peers as being able to strengthen any group endeavor. When called on, Dora was a natural leader who created harmony and good relationships within the group, often putting her own needs aside. Dora’s involvement could easily help structure and organize any part of an organization. An added benefit was Dora’s ability to bring valued principles along with her. Throughout her later years, Dora was an active member of La Onda Tejana Bay Area Tejanos.

Dora’s faith was important to her. She was a member of St. Leo's the Great. She was compassionate and warm hearted, someone who truly cared for others and that was clearly demonstrated in her work with the congregation.

Dora enjoyed traveling, and because she was so well organized, she would take on the responsibility of planning and scheduling all of the family vacations. Her gift for keeping things lively meant that vacations with Dora were always enjoyable. Her favorite vacations included going to Texas, Washington.

Dora was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. One of Dora's favorite was Pepe, a bird. They were best friends for more than 3 years.

When Dora’s retirement finally came in 1999, she was well prepared. Being the focused and organized person that she was, Dora had taken care to plan for this part of her life. In retirement, she found new pleasure in playing Bingo and dancing. Even in retirement, Dora continued to stay in touch with her old friends and made plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the community and felt fulfilled.

Dora passed away on February 23, 2012 at Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California. She is survived by her husband Jose Jr., her sons Jose III and Johnny, her granddaughters Suzanne, Celia, Mireya, Savannah, Miravel, and Esthelia, and her grandsons Jason, Jonathan, and Marc.

Throughout her life, Dora was a gregarious and enthusiastic woman. She was generous in sharing her personal attributes, giving and helping those she knew and loved. She would often fill the role of coach, bringing out the best in everyone. She was imaginative, original, tender hearted and easy to get along with. Dora leaves behind her a legacy of life-long friendships and cherished memories. Everyone whose lives she touched will dearly remember Dora Alicia Riojas.