Obituary of Clotilde Curiel

Clotilde Curiel October 25, 1928 - May 01, 2015 Clotilde “Cleo” Curiel, 86, passed away peacefully May 1, 2015, after a long illness. She was born October 25, 1928, in Brownsville Texas, into Emilio and Ofelia Lopez' family. She loved sewing and worked for JC Penney’s fabric and sewing department before meeting and marrying Gregorio G. Curiel in 1953. With their four children Cleo and Greg moved to California in 1961 and eventually raised seven children while enjoying scenic road trips, amusement and national parks, zoo trips and memorable warm beaches. Keeping her family comfortable was important to her thus she fabricated a variety of useful sewn and painted household items, upholstered furniture and created patchwork quilts that kept her household warm on chilly nights. A cleverly creative person, Cleo made her own dresses as well as many of her children's clothes. Cleo and Greg moved back to Texas in 1975 and settled near their relatives in La Porte. Clotilde will be remembered for being partial to Chinese food, certain periodicals, driving fast, and for delighting her granddaughters with an assortment of ballerina tutus. However, beyond the "things" she admired, at the age of 58 having heard and fully accepting the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, she became a born again believer on May 25, 1986. An avid reader, Clotilde always encouraged her children to do their best saying, "You can do anything and become anyone you want to be." She loved her family dearly and is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 45 years Gregorio G. Curiel, and daughter Edna Sue Curiel. She is survived by 6 adult children, 11 beautiful grandchildren, and 8 wonderful great grandchildren. Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from nine o’clock until twelve o’clock pm Thursday, May 7, at Paul U. Lee Funeral Home La Porte Texas. The interment will follow at the La Porte Cemetery, located on South 8th Street in La Porte Texas.