Obituary of Irene Lopez

At 2 pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 a choir of angels sang as Irene Sanchez Lopez entered God’s paradise. Irene’s Catholic faith, devotion to Jesus, and strength from Nuestra Virgen de Guadalupe were lived each day. Grandma Irene showed us how to accept all of God’s blessings and face those days when things did not go our way. She made time to connect with Jesus throughout the day reading her Bible, and praying before meals and at bedtime. Irene, the daughter of Tiburcio and Petra Sanchez was delivered by a partera, on September 21, 1925, in Edinburg, Texas. She loved her four sisters, Maria, Luz, Sara, and Rosa, and four brothers, Marcos, Luis, Eleno, and José (Pepito). On July 17, 1942, Irene and Rene Ozuna Lopez were married and began a lifetime of memories. The start of their marriage included Irene being supportive of Rene’s service when he was drafted into the United States Army. Their union was blessed with two children, Delia and Robert Rene. Blessings were abundant as Irene eventually became Grandma Irene to 54 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and great-great-great-grandchildren! Texas was home then Prosser, Washington then Othello in the early 1960s. Irene’s employment in Othello was with the Taggares family. Chef-Reddy then on a more personal level in the Taggares home. She loved everything about her work, including the family she worked for and the people she worked with. Memories were made, stories were told, and experiences were shared. Grandma Irene taught us about working hard, a generational lesson that was the Sanchez way. Even after a full day of work she would come home and tend to the flowers in her rose garden, beautify her yard, and care for her colorful potted plants. Grandma Irene frequently told us that she was not a good cook and of course, we didn’t believe her. Her recipes have her unique imprint and will remain lasting memories for years and years to come. A taste of heaven in the kitchen was her pineapple pie made of the home-made pie crust that was carefully not over-kneaded, her Thanksgiving stuffing with olives that are sliced not chopped, her iced tea that was brewed on the stovetop, and of course her tamales. Almuerzo at Grandma Irene’s was over easy eggs topped with chile that coated the eggs just right and tortillas hechas a mano. The sound of the palote was the start of a new day! “It’s coffee time” meant enjoying a cup of instant coffee con pan bolillo, tasting delicious every time. We now know that it was the time spent together that made the cafecito taste so good! Grandpa Rene loved to treat Grandma Irene very special – shopping trips to the Tri-Cities and dinner at Freddie’s Restaurant in Othello were at the top of his list. He was always puzzled when she would just order a hamburger. Grandma was hooked on shopping – she admitted to this self-proclaimed vicio! Everything was blue and white. She was a frequent shopper at The Bon Marché (now we know it as Macy’s) and was known by the salespersons at T.J. MAXX. They knew Grandma Irene so well that when she would walk into the store, they greeted her by telling her that no new merchandise had arrived since her last shopping day – which was earlier that week. Over the years TJ’s was the place to go when she was feeling good and the place to go when she needed shopping to feel better. Aside from shoes, clothing, and jewelry - did I mention shoes? - some of her favorite items were towels, sheets, soaps, and did I mention shoes? Grandma Irene loved to look good. She wore her best clothes when she attended Mass. She was dressed to the nines for Jesus! Her nails were always painted, hair colored, and if you visited her at home, you knew that she kept her curling iron near her chair so she could relax while curling her hair. Often, she would watch Sábado Gigante and her novelas. She was also a fan of Family Feud. She was an active member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church – volunteering at fundraising events and parish celebrations. Even after Grandpa Rene’s passing, she continued his many donations to programs that helped others in need. For many years she volunteered to place American flags at the gravesite of veterans at Bess Hampton Memorial Gardens on Memorial Day. She enjoyed traveling – a flight to Blakely Island, a road trip to Yellowstone National Park, vacationing in Cancun, winter stays in San Diego, and day trips to Tijuana. Any trip that meant she could enjoy time with family and friends was a perfect trip. Grandma nurtured and cherished her special friendships. Grandma Irene is preceded in death by her parents, husband, and children. She leaves many loving memories for her brother José Sanchez (Pepito), her grandchildren Debra Castro, Sandra Martinez (Erasmo), Ross Gamboa (Terri), Stephanie Barrera (Domingo), and Brent Wagner (Annalynn), her daughter-in-law MariaAnita Zavala-Lopez, nieces, nephews, and many friends. Customary in the Sacred Heart Catholic Church when a parishioner was celebrating a birthday was the singing of a song that she sang at home which we believe are words Grandma Irene left us all with - May the Good Lord Bless and Keep you! Rosary: Monday, November 12, 2022 at 6 pm Steven Funeral Chapel Funeral Mass: Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at 11 am Sacred Heart Catholic Church