Carmen Quintanilla Flores

Ms. Carmen Quintanilla Flores passed away on June 19, 2012, at the age of 100. She was born in Mexico on December 22, 1911, to Mr. Mrs. Jose Quintanilla. “Who would have thought that one hundred years is a long time, but instead feels like a brief moment. Los Caminos de la Viva (Roads of Life) started in Parras; Coahuila with my parents who worked with the Madero Family while at the same time worked in my grandparent’s vinery. All was well until the Mexico Revolution came and my parents were forced to leave and go to Monterrey, Mexico. My father had family in Monterrey and stayed with them for a short period, but then decided to come to the United States with nothing but our clothes in a stage coach—my son Fernando would say in a covered wagon—NO, NO, NO—Coach. It was very hard leaving your country and having to start over, but the Good Lord helped us to have a new beginning in spite of the hard roads of life. I am thankful for meeting my husband at my mother’s boarding house. He came to San Antonio to study from Zapata, Texas, whose family had received land grants way before Texas belongs to the U.S. A very proud traditional ranching family with deep roots in Texas that is maintained today. I however, would not have imagined flying in an airplane to go visit my family or flying to a foreign country to go on vacation in a matter of hours in the comfort of a living room. Riding in a car (Model T) for the first time was an adventure beyond belief and in later years riding in cars with lots of comfort and air conditioning – amazing. Thank You Lord for allowing me to have seen and experience with all my children, grand children and great grand children Los Caminos de la Vida” Ms. Flores was preceded in death by her parents Jose Josefina Quintanilla; her loving husband Mario Flores; and her daughter Maria del Carmen Massie. She is survived by her sons: Mario Flores Jr. and wife Arlene, Fernando Q. Flores, Cesareo Flores and wife Patricia; her daughter: Rosalinda F. Helwig; her grandchildren: Mario L. Flores Jr., Ricardo L. Flores, Juan Flores, Xavier Flores, Christopher Flores, Edward Helwig IV, Vanessa Helwig, and Veronica Helwig; 13 great grandchildren; 2 great great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made to St. Jude Childrens Hospital, www.stjude.org.