One Of A Kind

One of the most hard-working, compassionate men that mom and us know was our dad, Anselmo Lopez, Sr., who most people called Sam.  Sam began his life story on Monday, April 21, 1952.  Our grandparents, Angelita Quintanilla and Eduardo Lopez were excited to bring him home.  Dad was always a protective guy.  Even as a young child he would sometimes have to sit separately on the bus to and or from school as a result of protecting his belongings from other kids.  Dad’s protective nature was seen following graduation from Wharton High School when he enlisted in the United States Armed Forces to serve and protect his country.  Following his military commitment, he landed a position with US Contractors where he worked for over twenty-five years before retiring.

Dad met mom over one half a century ago.  Mom was attracted to his kind and compassionate personality.  On Monday, March 17, 1969, in Wharton, Texas mom and dad started their journey together as husband and wife.  Yes, fifty-two years ago they wed.  They were blessed to parent us and make a life for themselves.  Dad was very meticulous, and he loved woodwork.  For example, if someone borrowed one of his tools, he could look at the remaining tools and know in an instant what was missing.  The same went for his DVD collection.  Dad kept things in order. 

Dad was one of the most selfless men that we know.  He would always put others first even when it meant that he would go lacking.  If there was not enough to go around, he would go hungry as long as others were able to eat.  His personality and compassion were obvious to everyone who met him.

Dad was reliable.  He was always just a phone call or text away.  A quick text to pick up a breakfast taco or run an errand was all that was needed.  He was there for us, especially if it meant picking up his grandkids in the process.  Yep, his grandkids were his pride and joy!  They could get anything they wanted from him.  But mostly, he enjoyed spending time with them! 

There are many things that we will always remember about him.  From the jar of peanut butter that he kept by his bed for a late-night snack, to him watching Clint Eastwood and The Westerns, him listening to the older country music, to him never meeting a stranger.  Dad was one of a kind.  We have never met a man, or a woman like him.  He will be greatly missed.

 On Saturday, August 21, 2021, dad passed.  Those left to treasure his memory include his wife of 52 years, Theresa Lopez; kids: Anselmo (Tonya) Lopez, Jr., Rene (Diana) Lopez, Ruben Lopez, Eva (Chris) Alaniz, and Virginia (Joshua Walton) Lopez; grandkids Annette O’Neil, Christina Guel, Donavan Lopez, Dante Lopez, Rey Martinez, Crystal Alaniz, Alejandro Lopez, Abigail Lopez, Alyssa Alaniz, Brooklyn Walton,  Anselmo ‘Tre’ Lopez, III, Brayden Lopez, Jocelynn Walton, and Evelynn Walton; Great-grandkids: Christina Lopez, Penelope Lopez, Everly Lopez, Melaniz Lopez, and Kenneth ‘Peanut’ Cox, III; siblings: Susie (Carlos) Fuentes, Janie Mears, Mary Helen (Vidal) Moreno, and Paulina (Toby Aguayo) Quintanilla, Edward Lopez, and Joe Lopez.

It is in this time that we remember his parents Angelita Quintanilla and Eduardo Lopez as well as his siblings Erlinda Trevino, Joe ‘Joey’ Garcia, Jr., and Gloria ‘Tita’ Lopez.

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