Rosa Santos Cortez, age 90, of Hondo passed away Saturday, April 5, 2014. Born in Hondo July 19, 1923, she was the daughter of Pedro S. "Pete" and Magdalina (de la Garza) Santos. She was the youngest in her family and in her early teens went through the depression, which taught her to be frugal, a quality that helped her in business and family life in later years. At the age of 19, she married Ray Cortez, a marriage which grew and prospered till the time of her death, 72 years later. Three months after their union, her husband was drafted into the military after the U.S. entered WWII, leaving her with child and an uncertain future. When her husband returned after the war, they had four more children, after which Rosa and her husband took a bold step, starting their electrical business in 1954. With only an eighth grade education and a shoestring of capital, she took the responsibility of the office part of business. They were in business for the next 47 years. During those years, they had two more children. After the many years of service, they retired, only to find themselves with an empty nest. Not ready to accept the slow-paced reality of retirement, and with much love still in their hearts, Rosa convinced her husband to take in foster children for the next three years. After this, they decided it was time for themselves and began to travel around the country and to some foreign countries. Rosa, with her family, lived a long, fruitful life. She was preceded in death by her parents and all her siblings, Herlinda Ybarra, Josefina Gonzales and Pedro, Juan, Tomas, Pablo and Jose Santos. Survivors include her husband, Ramon "Ray" Cortez; children, Mary Elvia Cortez of Tomball, Ramon "Ray" Cortez Jr. and wife Sandra of Hondo, Henry "Hank" Cortez and wife Nelda of San Antonio, Gerardo "Jerry" Cortez of Hondo, Linda Cortez of San Antonio and Ronnie Cortez of Austin; 14 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. Rosary at 10:30 a.m., followed by a Memorial Mass, will be held Saturday, April 12, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. The family suggests memorials may be made to St. John's Catholic Church or the Guadalupana Society.