Carolina Alicia Spencer Ramos

Carolina S. Ramos, a woman deeply loved and respected by many, passed away Friday, July 15, with her son Jaime at her side.   Carolina was born in Presidio on January 2, 1940, to Charles and Josefina Colomo Spencer.  She was the first baby in Presidio to be delivered by Dr. Clyde Vaught.

She grew up the daughter of a farmer and cotton buyer and had four older siblings.  She enjoyed playing baseball and farming with her father Charles Spencer.  At the age of five she and her father developed a spying method to catch sellers of cotton loading dirt and rocks into their bags of cotton.  The unsuspecting sellers didn’t realize the unassuming little girl was watching.  At a young age she moved to San Antonio where she attended Incarnate Word High School.  The family would drive her to Marfa, Texas where she would board the train to San Antonio.   She continued her education at Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas.

In 1966 she met Raul O. Ramos and commenced a courtship that endured his tour of the Vietnam war.  She was no stranger to the military as her eldest brother Oscar Spencer served in World War II and her brother Carlos J. Spencer in Vietnam. There were many boxes of love letters between Raul and Carolina during this time and she kept them close to her heart.  Carolina and Raul married upon his return in 1968 in El Paso, Texas.  Charles Spencer gave them a 1968 Chevy Impala as their wedding gift, this would be her car for many years and conquer many road trips with four boys in the back seat.  In August 1969, the first of four sons arrived, and she had started her family.

Carolina was a small lady with a huge heart.  She learned the power of giving from her mother Josefina who would open the door to all and feed everyone who passed by their big yellow home next to Spencer Bros. Department Store. This trait truly stuck as Carolina, along with her long-time friend Josie Brenner, delivered meals to the elderly of Midland up until a week before her death.

Raising four sons was no easy task and employing force was no stranger to Carolina.  She had great hands for baking and cooking, and they were also quick and nimble to pull leather to reign in an unruly boy.  Carolina was famous for her cooking, and it was no surprise that her sons wore Husky size clothes.  Carolina was a homemaker but stayed up late nights to manage the bookkeeping for the farm and the Cowtown Western Wear store that she and Raul started.

When it came to baking, there was an unspoken competition among the women of Presidio.  The bake sales were a highlight at the VA Hall and Carolina would bake her best cake but always tipped her hat to Julieta Rodriguez, her best friend of many years.

She actively participated in the school PTA, The American Legion Auxiliary, and The Presidio Women’s Club, among so many others.  She was a leader in her community and was President of The American Legion Auxiliary and an officer with other organizations.  The library became her passion in her later years, and she fought hard to support the Presidio Library because she believed everyone must have a place to take a book and read.

In 1989 her husband Raul died, and her strong character truly showed by holding her little shoulders back and keeping her head high.  Carolina was a woman of strong faith.  She prayed when she woke, and she prayed when she went to bed.  She didn’t have to tell her sons to be strong, she simply led the way through example and daily living.  Her son Carlo was in college and Heriberto had just graduated high school and even though times were hard, she made sure college was the only option for her sons.

The death of her husband marked a new chapter for Carolina and at the age of 49 she started her first job outside the home as an Assistant Librarian for Presidio Junior High School.  She took great pride in her job and the library was the perfect setting that would allow her to touch the lives of thousands of students.  She was persistent with the students as if they were her own and would not give up on any child.  She was known for her strong encouragement to read and study as this was the key to succeeding in college.

She took on her new role and never slowed down with the 4-H livestock shows and sports activities with Cesar and Jaime.  Her focus with community shifted to raising scholarship funds for deserving students at Presidio High School and sponsoring girls and boys to attend Girls and Boys State in Austin, Texas.  Carolina opened her home to everyone and during this time found her “daughter that she never had”, Abbey Poitevint.  Abbey was the apple of her eye and Carolina cherished her time with Abbey.  Carolina retired as an Assistant Librarian.

In 2012 she left her home of 72 years to move to Midland, Texas where she would be closer to her grandchildren.  While many envisioned her baking cookies for grandchildren and enjoying the life of retirement, she did the opposite and hit the ground running.  She joined St. Stephen’s Catholic Church and Meals on Wheels.  She would donate her full-time to both until her last days.  Carolina was a busy bee and would work non-stop from sunrise to sunset.  She became best of friends with her new neighbors and rekindled her relationship with her niece, Virginia Spencer-Conner.

Carolina loved the holidays and would love most being surrounded by her family at the dinner table. She gained four daughters, Melissa, Martha, Christi, and Magda and eleven grandchildren.  She was formal in all regard and required prayers and photos during the festive times.

Her eleven grandchildren, Mandy, Jaime Ivan, Vanessa Kate, Sarah, Ana, Elena, Rebekah, Lorah, Arthur, Vincent, and Edward are proud to carry on her gigantic legacy. Carolina taught her family, through example, that you do absolutely anything for family.

Many hearts, the world over, share the burden of our profound loss.

Rosary will be held on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at 7:00PM at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Chapel in Midland. Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, July 21, 2022 at 9:30AM at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Midland. Rosary will be held on Saturday, July 23, 2022 at 9:00AM at Santa Teresa Jesus Catholic Church in Presidio, TX. Funeral Mass will follow at Santa Teresa Jesus Catholic Church in Presidio, TX. Burial will be held at Desert Hills Cemetery in Presidio, TX.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences can be made at www.npwelch.com.

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