Antonia Cantu Reyes (aka Mamo) passed from this life with family by her side on September 23, 2019 at the age of 96 in San Antonio, Texas.

Antonia was born Maria Antonia Cantu on July 6, 1923 in Monterrey, Mexico to Abelardo and Rosario (Hoyuela) Cantu.

When Antonia was six years old, after the death of her father, her mother bravely moved the family from Mexico to San Antonio. Antonia and her brother spent their younger years in an orphanage being cared for by nuns because her mother did not want to leave them home alone while she was at work. At the orphanage, Antonia learned to read and write English (having already learned to read and write Spanish in Mexico), to mend clothes and they did lots of cleaning and chores. She lived there until she was 12. Her favorite subjects where English and Literature. She began her love for reading when given her first book by one of the nuns, Heidi, and she was an avid reader ever since.

Antonia met her husband Ricardo in their twenties, after he returned from the war. They married on September 15, 1946 in San Antonio and they were married for 72 years. They opened three photography studios and eventually a bridal shop together. Ricardo would photograph weddings and Antonia used her painting skills and attention to detail to color the photos with oil paints.

Antonia was an extraordinary woman of many talents. In addition to being a wife, mother and businesswoman, she loved to garden, quilt and paint. She could hold a conversation with anyone and was always up on current events, interest rates and politics. She and Ricardo often watched sports together. Ricardo loved to fish and Antonia loved to tag along to read a book, while admiring the beauty of nature. Antonia was a great cook and made the best cherry pies, crispy bean tacos and albondigas, not to mention the tamales from her mother-in-law's recipe.

Antonia had a way with words. She used them elegantly, but she could also be very matter of fact if she needed to be. She spoke beautiful English and Spanish and she was a wonderful singer and enjoyed classical music. She always held herself with confidence and grace. She was an intelligent, humble and practical woman and we will always remember her sweet voice saying "My Darling", her humming while she worked around the house and her singing "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" while Ricardo (Papo) lovingly watched her.

Antonia is survived by her children Richard Jr. (Natasha), Olga (Richard) Sharer and Norma Williams. She is survived by eight grandchildren Callie (Henry) Raymond, Natalie (Dan) Jamieson, Ana Reyes, Larry (Natalia) Moore, Sara (Matt) Reyes, Aaron Grigsby, Clarissa (Zeke) Guajardo and Ricardo Javier (Stephanie) Reyes. She is survived by eight great grandchildren Zeke and Elise Guajardo, Cayden and Avery Raymond, Ben and Abigail Jamieson, Tyler Moore, Ella Antonia Reyes and two step great grandchildren Ashley and Matthew Tedeski.

Antonia was preceded in death by her parents, husband of 72 years Ricardo Reyes, son Robert P. Reyes, granddaughter-in-law Erin Grigsby and her brothers and sisters Armando Cantu, Teofila Arellano and Abelardo Cantu.

A family celebration of Antonia's life will be held on Saturday November 9 ^th .