Willa 'Pauline' Tamburello Garza, 76 of Houston, Texas passed away on Friday, January 20, 2012 in Austin, TX while she and her daughter Theresa were visiting her eldest daughter Anna and Grandson John Paul.
Pauline was born on January 4, 1936, in the family home at 6820 East Montgomery Street that used to stand off of what is now called Fulton Street in Houston, Texas. Her parents Louis Sam and Willa Tamburello welcomed their first child and she was soon followed by two more siblings.
She is precended in death by her her infant daughter, Karen Victoria Garza, her parents Louis Sam Tamburello and Willa Asamine Ward Tamburello.
She is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Paul G. Garza. She is also survived by her daughter, Anna Marie Garza Franklin, Son, Paul Gregory Garza and wife, Bettina Wray Garza, daughter, Theresa Louise Garza, daughter, Kathleen Rose Garza and her husband Jaime Garza, daughter, Charlotte 'Charli' Pauline Garza Carnes and husband, Steven Carnes. She is also survived by her grandsons John Paul Franklin, Lawson Carnes and Leighton Carnes. Pauline is also survived by her sister, Louise Isbell and husband, Royal, and brother Louis Sam Tamburello, Jr. and many nieces and nephews.
She had a happy childhood with her sister, Louise and brother, Louis, Jr. Pauline and her siblings attended Roosevelt Elementary School, Burbank Junior High School and Jefferson Davis High School. Pauline went on to attend college and graduate from Sacred Heart Dominican College with her BS in Nursing. After being proposed to by Paul three times, she finally accepted her long time boyfriend’s proposal of marriage. She was so determined to finish her nursing degree and it was forbidden at Sacred Heart to be engaged and be part of the nursing program. Pauline used to joke that with each of Paul's proposals the diamond in the ring was a little bit bigger each time!
Pauline married Paul G. Garza at Sacred Heart Cathedral on April 18, 1959. She was a very dedicated Nurse and worked extensively in the New Born Nursery at Memorial Southeast Hospital, now Hermann Memorial Southeast before retiring. Pauline’s many years of nursing came in handy when her eldest daughter gave birth to a premature baby named John Paul and her help was greatly needed. She went on to almost work full time to help out her youngest daughter Charlotte when Pauline's other two grandsons, Lawson and Leighton were born. She resided in the same home in Freeway Manor that she and her husband bought months before the birth of their first child until her death.
Pauline loved and was very dedicated to her family, was an amazing cook and enjoyed organic gardening before the term "green" was even part of the American venacular. She was active in the A.B, Freeman PTA, Freeway Manor Little League and South Houston Girls Softball. She was an active founding member of St. Francis Cabrini Catholic Church and the Freeway Manor Civic Club.
Visitation will be held on January 26, 2012 from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Carnes Funeral Home 1102 Indiana, South Houston, Texas 77587 with the Rosary at 7:00 p.m. The Funeral Service will be held on Friday, January 27, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church 10727 Hartsook Street Houston, TX 77034.
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obits@carnesfuneralhome.com
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