Clara Lorraine Lopez, “The rock of her family”, passed away after a yearlong battle with cancer, on Monday, November 7, 2016 at her home in Kyle while surrounded by her loving family.
Clara was born in Corpus Christi, TX on Tuesday, July 24, 1945 to William Thomas and Anita (Lopez) Hargis. She attended W.B. Ray High School in Corpus Christi, earning her diploma from the American Schools. She married Eusebio Lopez, a career member of the US Airforce, on November 10, 1962 in Corpus Christi, TX and together they moved to Laredo AFB. This was the first of many family and career moves. Soon after their move, Eusebio was deployed to Wake Island, separating him from his expecting wife. Their first daughter, Lisa Marie, was born while Eusebio was overseas. Being alone was tough on Clara. Lisa almost died and only survived because of the extraordinary attention and love she received from her mother. Upon her husband’s return from Wake Island, they were stationed in Abilene TX. There she gave birth to her son Stephen and her daughter Michele Rene’. In Abilene Clara became a member of the Texas Rehab Center where she provided unparalleled support and assisted the foundation. Clara and Eusebio moved their family many times throughout his military career. Often she found herself alone due to military deployments, filling the roll of both mother and father to her three children. Their moves took them from Abilene to Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Houston and Corpus Christi, TX while Eusebio was deployed in Thailand, Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City, OK, back to Bergstrom AFB in Austin TX where she became a supervisor in the Automation Section at Farmers Insurance in Austin. They were then stationed at Brooks AFB in San Antonio, returning to Corpus Christi upon retirement to take care of their aging parents. Upon the passing of their parents, they moved to Pflugerville, Texas and then to Kyle, Texas in 2003. In Kyle she became involved with her grandchildren’s activities and with Lehman High School. At Lehman, Clara supported the school through their formative years and assisted with Lehman Cheer.
Clara was very intuitive. She always knew exactly what to say and do for her family. She was very involved in her grandchildren’s lives. They were the center of her attention and she was the happiest when around them. Clara and Eusebio put their parenting skills to work and raised three of her grandchildren. Clara was gracious with her love and gifts. She loved to decorate, collect tea pots, make crafts and gamble at the casinos where she displayed uncanny luck. .
Clara leaves behind her dedicated husband of 53 years, Eusebio Lopez, her daughter Lisa Marie Santos and her husband Henry Lee, her son Stephen Lopez and his wife Tamara, her daughter Michele Rene’ Lopez, her grandchildren: Katherine Perales, Jacqueline Herrington and her husband Jonathan, Mark Lopez, Kyle Lopez, Victoria Ducos, Matthew Perales, Michael Ducos, Kimberly Vasquez, Michael Perez and Kevin Perez. She will also be missed by her great-grandchildren: Kaden Perales, Isaiah Romero, Gabriella Lopez, Isabella Romero, Emma Reyes, Addison Herrington, Abigail Lawson, Andrew Romero and Travis Harrington.
Friends and family are invited to Harrell Funeral Home on Wednesday, November 16th, 2016 from 4 to 7 pm for a time of visitation. A Rosary service will follow at 7:00 pm at Harrell Funeral Home. Friends are invited to rejoin Clara’s family for her funeral mass at Santa Cruz Catholic Church 1100 Main Street in Buda at 10:00 AM on Thursday November 17th. Interment will follow at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery 1520 Harry Wurzbach Rd. in San Antonio at 1:45 PM.
Donations may be made in Clara’s memory to the Texas School for the Deaf at https://amplifyatx.ilivehereigivehere.org
Please visit www.Harrellfuneralhomes.com to share a fond memory, photograph, condolence or memorial gift with Clara’s family on her On-line memorial site.
Funeral assistance provided by Harrell Funeral Home in Kyle.
