Congratulations to Margaret

Courage is the word for Margaret Jones Hopson, a former Laredoan, who overcame a series of obstacles and became an attorney.
Margaret graduated from St Mary’s Law School. She settled in San Antonio where she is with the firm of Jenken and Gilchrist, which employs 550 attorneys in eight cities, including San Antonio. Margaret’s field includes commercial litigation and international trade.
Margaret managed the family business, Richter’s, once known in Laredo as El Precio Fijo. Margaret and her three children -- Helen Richter, a high school student; Elizabeth, in junior high; and Steve, soon to go to junior high -- live in a beautiful new home of red brick in the Castle Hills area of San Antonio.
Her big living room has picture windows above the fireplace of stone and on either side so that one gets a view of treetops and garden. The mantle is decorated with fall fruits, pumpkins, and leaves.
On one wall hangs a floral painting by Margaret’s aunt, Laredo artist Julia Watson. It suggests happy surroundings, perfect as to furnishing and art objects.
We go with Margaret to St. George’s Episcopal Church, where we meet again the Rev. Don Baugh and his wife, Barbara, the granddaughter of much loved Alice Leonard, Laredo teacher, now deceased.
There too we see again Wesley Shipton Hiatt, a young woman beaming with pleasure as she recalled your reporter writing of her wedding at Christ Church in Laredo many years ago. In fact all the personnel from the chancel greeted the congregation after the service with smiles and abrazos.
Afterwards at Margaret’s home we enjoy a luncheon that was perfect. A ceramic hen centerpiece, gold rimmed dishes, sterling silver of ornate artistry, pleased the eye. The roast beef, creamed potatoes, asparagus, and pineapple congealed salad, plus a relish given to Margaret by Chris Glassford, made a perfect Sunday luncheon.
Congratulations to Margaret and all the women of courage like her. They make this a better world.
Gathering of expatriates. Nelda Guerrero Drury, retired from San Antonio College where she headed the Dance Department, invited five ex-Laredoans to a merienda to see Elizabeth Sorrell, their former teacher.
Guests gathered round the large kitchen table to eat cake and cookies with a beverage of their choice and to recall past events and tell of their current life. Alicia Prieto Puig of Houston, Sofia Mata, Dr. Lucilla Lopez Santos, Otila Varela Vidaurri, Eva Perez García Treviño, and Mary Lou Prieto came. Elizabeth Drury, who lives with her mother in the pleasant spreading red brick home in Castle Hills, assisted.
And now to tell you of the lives of these former Laredoans.
"Laredo is still home for me," said Mary Lou Prieto, who has been here since 1953. Her husband, Dr. Elias, studied medicine after their marriage. They have six children and 24 grandchildren.
Alicia Prieto Puig, attractive Houstonian, actually lives in Sugarland. She is a successful realtor. She has six grown children, four of them in Houston, one in San Antonio, and another in Georgia.
From the Mata family, which produced three doctors: Dr. Carlos and his wife Joan live in San Antonio; Dr. V. H. Mata, retired.
Sofia Mata Fisher and her husband Bob, who have been married for 50 years, have a son, Robert Z. Fisher, a transplant surgeon of Richmond, Virginia; Ricky, a pharmacist, and a daughter, Denise, married to Raul Cardenas of McAllen. Sofia, still very attractive and extremely animated, plans a trip to visit the first son in Virginia at Thanksgiving.
Most proud of son Oscar Treviño, psychologist in San Antonio, Eva Treviño is the sister of Ana Zuñiga and of Felipe Perez García. Eva was married to Oscar Treviño in 1950. They have seven children and 14 grandchildren. A realtor, she is now retired.
Granddaughter of Dora Villarreal, Laredo school teacherDr. Lucilla Lopez Santos achieved a career goal of assistant superintendent of schools in the San Antonio School District. She actually grew up in Cotulla. Another latecomer, that is, to the party, since getting the flu shot took time, Otila Varela Vidaurri, who attended St. Augustine School, then graduated from Our Lady of the Lake, and from Nova University with an MA. She has a son and three grandchildren. She has been a teacher administrator for 32 years. Now she is retired and loves it.
Nelda Drury talked of attending a Maine Folk Dance Camp. Long ago Laura Oden and Manuel Falcon attended this dance camp. Located in the Sebago Lake Region, it is the gathering place for dancer teachers from many countries. Not only dance, but music, arts, and cooking of various countries are taught. Every meal is different. The first night a New England dinner is served, corned beef and cabbage, and the last is a Scandinavian Smorgasbord.
Ballas hosts merienda. María Louisa Ballas of Houston has opened a business in Laredo, ZipWorld.Com. She went to the Folklorico in San Antonio, terming it "fabulous." There she saw Nelda Guerrero Drury, another former Laredoan, and invited her and Estela Kramer, Gloria Grosebeck Kelso, and Elizabeth Sorrell to lunch at the exquisite Menger Hotel. This hotel dating from the last century has a bronze plaque on the wall dedicated to the American poet Sidney Lanier, who once stayed there.
With María Luisa was her cousin Enrique Ramon, who grew up in Laredo and now lives in Houston. He has been in the dance industry for 42 years and has coached seven American champions. He travels worldwide and judges contests.
Gloria Grosebeck Kelso is the daughter of Irene Leyendecker and granddaughter of Joseph Patrick Leyendecker, affectionately known as "Papa Joe" at old Martin High. Gloria reports she is a descendant of Laredo’s founder, Don Tomas Sanchez.
Besides her daughter, Janice Manley of San Antonio, she has Jack of Albuquerque; Gloria Kelso Riddle of Sugarland; and Barbara Ann Kelso of Austin.
Thanks to Rick Fierros, who lives in San Antonio, for bringing his mother Ruth to see your reporter in Helotes. Ruth had driven up from Laredo in a torrential downpour complete with thunder and lightning. She enjoyed luncheon at the Chaparral in Helotes with your reporter. The clientele looked very western, many diners in sombreros and one man packing a pistol on his hip, probably a lawman.
The Women’s City Club staged their annual Charity Ball November 9, with cocktails first and then dinner and a silent auction at the Laredo County Club. They enjoyed a membership tea at the home of Brenda García from 3 to 6. This was given for new members and prospective members.
Luncheon Club names new members. The Luncheon Club has invited two new members, Elia Hilda Espinoza and Mary Holbein of Hebbronville. The latter is the daughter of charter member McAfee Cullinan, 1942. All the original members are gone.
Josephine Brand, a member, will have her family here for Thanksgiving. Linda Deutsch, her daughter, will be hostess. She is noted for her beautiful table and delicious cuisine. Barry Sanditen and Gail, grandchildren of Josephine Brand, have a large family in Austin, Shelby, 15, and others, 12, 10, 9, 8, and 3. Josephine’s family has recently returned from Panama.
Sheila celebrates birthday. Sheila Glassford celebrated her birthday by having a luncheon and inviting her dearest friends on Sunday, October 13, at her home overlooking the Río Grande. Table decorations included a beautiful arrangement, fall fruit and flowers. Present were Amber and Sharon Yeary, George and Ann Neel, Bill and Elena Holloway and family members, David and Milly Slaughter, and Jim and Kathy Proffitt.
Attention, Retired Teachers! The news bulletin for the Retired Teachers indicates that in November the retirees will learn if they will have an increase in their annuity.
Ruben Saenz of Río Grande City has been appointed to the committee to study staffing needs of the organization.
When it rains near Encinal the ranch roads are impassable. Bill Lowry had to come to the highway on a tractor and leave his truck at the ranch house; then he returned to New Braunfels.
Pan American plans state meet. Julia Muller Ruhlman, director of the Pan American Round Table, writes about the October meeting at the new restaurant on Springfield. Betina Muñoz and Elena García were directors for the day. The meeting was dedicated to Argentina.
Clarrissa Chapa and Diana Czar were in charge of collections. Irma Ancira, Sylvia Meza, and Carmen Whitmire provided colorful decorations. Carmen Solis, treasurer, collected dues.
The membership has been asked to provide a door prize for the state Pan American meeting in the spring. Members are also requested to donate flags so there will be new flags for the countries of the Americas.