Gloria (Flores) Aguilar

Our beloved mother and sister Gloria was born to Santos Luna Flores and Romana Mendoza, on March 7, 1930, in San Antonio, Texas. With family by her side, she left this life at the age of 89, on October 5, 2019.

Gloria was raised in San Antonio, among a large, close family that included many aunts, uncles and cousins. Sundays were spent going to church and visiting with relatives to share a meal and catch up on family events. The World War II years were very hard for Gloria and her family because her father was away with the Navy, serving in the Philippines. When Santos returned home safe from the war, life went back to normal. Gloria worked alongside her parents in the family business, Flores Flower Shop, made her debut with the Monte Carlo Social Club, and graduated from St. Michael’s High School.

Gloria began her secretarial career working for General Jonathan Wainwright, who called her “Morning Glory,” an affectionate nickname that summed up Gloria’s bright, charming and cheerful personality. With her beautiful smile and generous nature, Gloria left a lasting impression on everyone she met. Gloria gave up her career to raise three children from her first marriage to Albert Fuentes, Jr. She returned to the workforce after a divorce, again as a secretary. She worked for, among others, Commissioner Albert Pena, Jr., Bexar County Legal Aid, and the Honorable Carol Haberman.

With her second husband, Fernando Aguilar, Gloria had a fourth child. They moved to the Dallas area, where she became a homemaker and stayed home with her children. Gloria returned to work again, when her children grew older. One of the first employees at Brookhaven College, in Farmers Branch, Texas, Gloria started as a receptionist and retired as the Assistant to the Vice-President of Student Development. Always devoted to her community, Gloria served on the Farmers Branch Library Board and as a delegate to the Association for Library Trustees and Advocates. Gloria spent many happy retirement years in Farmers Branch, returning to San Antonio in 2018.

Gloria was preceded in death by her parents, her daughter Katheryne Fuentes Cooke Morgan, and her grandson Damian Cooke. She will be missed and always remembered by her loving sister, Lucille Flores Suire, her children who adored her, Carolyn Fuentes (husband Farley P. Katz), Albert “Trey” Fuentes III (wife Cynthia Duenkel Fuentes) and Ernest Mark Aguilar, her grandsons Farley T. Katz and Dr. Alexander “Zander” Katz, and her nieces and nephews of the San Roman and Suire families. Although Gloria’s beautiful spirit will always be with us, our lives will never be the same without her.

A reception for family and friends will be announced at a later date.