Corine Canales

Mrs. Corine Canales, aged 87, died peacefully in Corpus Christi, Texas surrounded by her immediate family. Corine is survived by her loving husband Jose F. Canales and their 5 children, Nora, her husband David, and their children Stephanie, her fiancé Jeremiah, and Jennifer; David and his children Sean and Brandon; Gilda, her husband Richard and their children Angela, Erica, her husband Jacob and their children Emma Rose and Jackson, Celinda and her children Alexander and Joseph; Cynthia, her husband, Giovanni, and their children Giovanni, his wife Stephanie, and Andrea and her husband Ben.

Corine was born in Corpus Christi to a family of 9 children. She met her future husband, Jose Canales at a dance in the Galvan Ballroom in Corpus Christi. They fell in love and got married that same year on October 18th, 1952.

Corine’s greatest achievement was her deep and abiding love for her husband and children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and her steadfast encouragement. Even at the end of her life the mention of ‘Dad’ brought a smile to her face. In the last few days of her life, when asked what she would say to her husband, Joe, if he were there, her reply was, “We would tell each other that we love each other.”

When asked what she would tell her children if they were there, she replied, ‘Tell the girls that I love them.’ Such was the depth of love for her family, that even a mind, beset by dementia, could answer loud and clear. ‘Tell them that I love them!’ followed by a look upwards, a little smile and a twinkle in her eyes.

Corine worked at Bills Shoe Box in the Padre Staples Mall where she rose to become the manageress of the Children’s Department. She was very proud of this achievement and continued working there until retirement.

Her family will remember her for a number of things:

Summer camping trips with a huge station wagon of children, friends of children and a big black labrador.

Matching, handmade dresses

Shiny patent leather shoes for church on Sunday

Hot lunches delivered to school and eaten in the car

Sunday BBQs always with potato salad

Handmade blankets for grandchildren

Handmade rabbit children of huge proportions

Silk flowers in every nook and cranny

Las Vegas with her husband and their friends and the nickel slots

Painted toenails – even in her late 70s and 80s!

Her massive handbag that she took everywhere

Being Joe’s co-pilot during their many road trips

A real heart for children suffering poverty and deprivation

Sending shoes to an orphanage in Mexico

Supporting the Pax Christi convent with charitable donations

Christmas stockings for children at Segunda Iglesia Baptista

Making the most exquisite Barbie doll costumes for the October festival

Tamales and empanadas at Christmas

Most of all she will be remembered by her loving, 94 year-old husband as wife, friend, companion and mother to his children.

Mrs. Corine Canales, always loved, resting in the merciful, loving hands of God.

A private mass and funeral will be held for her on Wednesday, August 12, 2020.