Mrs. Loredo was born in the bayside city of Gijón, Spain, on October 7th, 1927, to Carlos M. Martinez and Concepción Roque. Her family moved to Cuba when she was a young child. She attended school in Spain, Havana, and Philadelphia with her sister, Blanca, and she shared her time among the three countries during her youth.

It was during a visit to Antilla, Cuba, that Mrs. Loredo met Dr. Miguel Loredo. They fell in love, and on February 26, 1949, the couple married in Havana. As Dr. Loredo built his bourgeoning medical practice in Nicaro, Mrs. Loredo nurtured her growing family, which included three sons, Carlos, Jorge, and Jose, and two daughters, Irene and Ana.

This period of tranquility would not last. As civil war erupted around Cuba in the late 1950s, Dr. and Mrs. Loredo had to choose: either stay in Cuba and risk their lives, or make a desperate attempt to immigrate to the United States. They chose the latter, and on August 15, 1960, Tata, her husband, and her five young children boarded one of the last passenger boats to ever ferry Cuban citizens to Miami.

Together, Dr. and Mrs. Loredo and their family made a peaceful life in their adopted country, first living in Miami, then Mississippi and finally moving to Texas. She and her husband eventually settled in San Antonio, where they spent many happy years.

Over the course of her life, she gave of her time to the Beta Sigma Phi sorority, Catholic Daughters, the Texas Medical Alliance, the Bexar County Medical Society, and the Centro Cultural Cubano.

Her greatest treasures were her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Tata loved the ocean and walking along the seashore. She was enormously adventurous and had a playful sense of humor. Every year at the Loredo family beach trip, she would play charades and cards, often proving the loudest and most vibrant of the bunch especially when playing Spoons. She never lost at Spades and was a savvy poker player.

To celebrate her 80th birthday, her children surprised her with a family trip to Cozumel, where, along with her children and grandchildren, she swam with dolphins. She was known for her sly wit and impeccable comedic timing. She was stunningly beautiful and uncommonly kind. More than anything else in this world, though, she loved her family and said that her proudest accomplishment was raising a beautiful loving family. She cared deeply for those she loved, and they in turn cared deeply for her. She will be greatly missed by all those who had the great fortune of knowing her.

Mrs. Loredo was predeceased by her husband, Dr. Miguel Loredo; parents, Carlos and Juana Martinez and Concepción and Leonardo Roque; grandson, Garett Loredo; and daughter-in-law, Shonda Loredo. She is survived by her sister, Blanca Cueto; five children, Carlos Loredo and his wife, Shakti Sarkin, Irene Matula and her husband, Snow, Jorge Loredo and his wife, Jackie, Jose Loredo and his wife, Becky, and Ana Henke and her husband, Joe, and; 11 grandchildren, Michael C. Matula and his wife, Kelly, Brian A. Matula and his wife, Christina, Juan Carlos Loredo and his wife, Kelley, Nicole Laird and her husband, Casey, Christina Stirneman and her husband, Matt, Michelle and Kristen Henke, and Lucas, Michael, Jessica, and Ryanne Loredo; 7 great-grandchildren, Macy, Margo, Jake, Jackson, and Lilee Matula, and Ainsley and Gage Loredo; and many other dear friends and relatives.

The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to the special ladies who cared for Mrs. Loredo during the past two years: Alice Fernandez, Beatrice Hernandez, Gloria Hernandez, and Delores Valdez

Funeral Mass Service: 10 am, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Hallettsville. Visitation: 4 pm, Friday, at Kubena Funeral Home. Rosary: 7 pm, Friday, at Kubena Funeral Home. Officiate: Msgr. James Henke. Pallbearers: Juan Carlos Loredo, Lucas Loredo, Michael C. Matula, Brian A. Matula, Michael C. Loredo, Matt Stirneman, and Casey Laird. Memorials: Sacred Heart School Advanced Learning Center in Hallettsville or donor's choice Burial: Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery.