Anna Maria Ramirez

Anna María Velásquez Ramírez
December 12, 1912 – January 30, 2018

Born in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico on December 12, 1912, Anna María Ramírez, 105, was brought to live in Laredo, Texas as a young child along with her family. She was 1 of 9 children born to the late Manuel and María del Refugio Velásquez and was the only remaining living member of her immediate family. She married Eloy Ramírez in 1945 and together had 8 children.
Mrs. Ramírez was educated by the Ursuline Sisters and graduated from Ursuline Academy in 1932. She had a life-long desire to obtain a healthcare degree and after attending Baylor University; she enrolled in the Mercy Hospital of Laredo’s School of Nursing, graduating in 1936. She was a member of the last graduating class before the school was closed and went on to work as a surgical nurse for Mercy Hospital for close to 20 years, establishing warm and life-long relationships with the Sisters of Mercy. In 1955, she was hired by the Laredo Webb County Health Department as an outreach nurse and later became Supervising Nurse for the Title 13 program at the Health Dept. Her commitment as a full-time nurse came to a close in 1982, in-part to spend time with her grandchildren.

Anna María, loved her profession and even in her 90’s claimed that she would be a nurse for life. Her family and many of her friends depended on her for medical advice and to administer their medications, a task she was always ready to perform. Several of her nieces followed in her footsteps and became registered nurses and she was extremely proud that one of her grandsons is a physician.

A woman of great faith, she supported Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church and served her community proudly volunteering long hours to assist in administering inoculations and conducting physical exams of students enrolled in Catholic Schools. In 2013, the F. M. Canseco School of Nursing at Texas A&M International University honored her with the Crystal Cantú Pioneer Award for her commitment to the nursing profession and in 2014, the Sisters of Mercy recognized her as the longest living alumni when they celebrated their 120 years of presence in Laredo.
Anna María Ramírez was preceded in death by her parents, Manuel and María del Refugio Velásquez, her husband of 62 years of marriage, Eloy Ramírez Sr., her brothers and sisters, Manuel, Socorro, María de la Luz Fierros, María Cleofas, Francisca, Julia Lopez, Gabriel, and Carlos.

She is survived by her children, María Margarita (Javier) Lozano, Rosa María (Frank) Vida, Ph.D., Eloy (Patricia) Ramírez of Zapata, Teresita (Lynn Holubec) Ramírez of Austin, and Patricia (Marco Antonio) Orendain of Prosper. Further surviving her are her grandchildren, David J. Lozano, M.D., Gabriel (Elva) Lozano, Frank A. Vida, II, Roberto Antonio (Sherida) Vida, Maríanna C. Vida, Anna L. “Anita” Ramírez, Rebecca (Jesus) Ramirez Garza, Jose Marcial (Gabriella) Ramírez, Matthew A. Cisneros, Alexis (Jacob) Rathmell, Anna Gabriela Orendain, Elena Cecilia Orendain, Marco Antonio Orendain II, 8 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church on Friday, February 9, 2018, at 9 in the morning officiated by Rev. Msgr. Alejandro Salazar.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to: Mercy Ministries of Laredo, 2500 Zacatecas St., Laredo, TX, 78046.

We would like to express our most sincere and special appreciation to: Mrs. Ramírez’s primary caregiver, Mrs. Rosa Elsa del Angel, Complete Care Agency, Nurse Oseas Gomez, Olayinka Holt, M.D. and staff as well as Mr. Edgar Rigalde.