SAMBRANO, Grace Theresa Grace Sambrano, a native of Ysleta, Texas, who had been living in Dallas since 1971, passed away on Monday, October 27, 2014. Grace was born in 1936 in Ysleta, Texas, the daughter of Manuel and Conchita Fernandez. Grace attended school in Ysleta, El Paso Business College and Brookhaven College. A memorial mass will be held at Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Farmers Branch, Texas, at 7 PM on Wednesday October 29, 2014. Her final resting place will be in El Paso, Texas. Grace is survived by husband of 55 years Richard "Dick" Sambrano from San Elizario, TX; daughter Norma and son-in-law John Hennessy, son David Sambrano and daughter-in-law Elena, son Richard Sambrano Jr. and daughter-in-law Lisa, grand-children Kelly and husband James Dyer, Kristina Hennessy, Kathryn and husband Jarred Long, Grace, Weston and Jake Sambrano, and Drs. Brittany and husband Mark Barros, and Ricky Sambrano; great-grandchildren Keira and Hailey Dyer; immediate family survivors include her mother Conchita Fernandez, sisters Ida Luevanos, Margaret and husband Joe Aguirre, Brother Manny A. Fernandez and wife Irene, and many nieces and nephews. At Ysleta High School, Grace was in the orchestra, first chair violinist, a majorette, a member of Future Homemakers of America, choir, Spanish Club, Courtesy Club, Junior Class officer, selected second place in the beauty contest both sophomore and junior years, and was Band Sweetheart. She began her professional career with attorneys Ainsa, Braxton, and Langford, followed by El Paso Credit Bureau, and Farah Manu-facturing Company. In 1971 she moved to Dallas where she was employed by Southern Methodist University as an administrative assistant at the Cox School of Business. Later she joined Bank of America as executive assistant to Senior Vice Presidents. Grace insisted that all of her children have a Catholic education and attend college. Grace con-sidered her highest achievement the raising of her three children.
Published in Dallas Morning News on Oct. 28, 2014
