Ana Ortiz

Ana Ortiz

Ana Ortiz of Brownsville, Texas passed away peacefully on December 9th, 2022, at her home. Ana was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala on December 26, 1941, as one of seven siblings born to Dionisio and Rosa Contreras. 

From an early age, Ana had a strong faith with an eagerness to care for and nurture others. Before having children of her own, Ana stepped into a maternal role for nieces and nephews in Guatemala, and ultimately served as the matriarch for an extended family throughout her life. In addition to caring for her family, Ana always had an entrepreneurial spirit that led her to owning and operating several businesses throughout her life. Ana studied fashion design at a young age in Guatemala that would later lead to a successful business career in the apparel industry. In addition to fashion, Ana’s love for food inspired her to open a restaurant in Guatemala City, which ultimately led her to meet the love of her life, Frank Ortiz of Brownsville, in 1976. Ana and Frank had two sons and decided to move from Guatemala to Brownsville to raise their young family. 

Upon arriving in Brownsville, Ana and Frank re-opened a longtime Brownsville restaurant and former Ortiz family business, The Expressway Inn. In addition to traditional South Texas food, Ana infused her flavor of Guatemalan cuisine to the successful restaurant that operated until 1985. The Expressway Inn led Ana and Frank to found Ana’s Fashions, a successful apparel design and manufacturing business they jointly operated for over 25 years. Ana’s Fashions had operations in Guatemala and Brownsville. Due to Ana’s renowned fashion creativity and Frank’s savvy marketing, they grew the company into an award-winning national supplier for boutiques and department stores throughout the United States.

Throughout the years, the cornerstone of Ana’s life was her faith and her family. She raised two sons along with two nieces and a nephew, who commonly refer to her as their second mother. She had a generous heart that always welcomed family and friends to her home with open arms and a spirit to serve and provide for her guests. In the last years of her life, this love and servitude was reciprocated tenfold by the excellent care given by her husband Frank and niece Ana Peña.

Ana is survived by her husband, Frank Ortiz Sr., two sons Manuel (Alicia) Ortiz, Frank (Maggie) Ortiz; two nieces, Ana (Eliseo) Peña, Olivia Liliana (Raul) Garza, a nephew Jose Felipe (Maritza) Oliva. Ana was also the great aunt and godmother to five children of her nieces and nephews: Ana, Marcoantonio, Dionisio, Luis Felipe, and Maria Jose.

Lastly, she is survived by three granddaughters, Allie Isabella, Ava Elizabeth, and Ana Martha Ortiz. She was expecting her first grandson, Dash Patricio Ortiz, at the time of her passing, who undoubtedly will be the greatest blessing following her passing.

Memorials can be made in memory of Ana Ortiz to to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org/donate. 

Visitation will be held at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home on Monday, December 19 at 4:00pm and a Holy Rosary will be recited at 6:00pm. Celebration of Life Mass will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Tuesday, December 20 at 2:00pm. Christian burial will follow at Buena Vista Burial Park. Services are under the guidance of Sunset Memorial Funeral Home, Crematory & Flower Shop. 657 Springmart Blvd., Brownsville, Texas. (956) 350-8485

To send flowers or a plant to the family in the memory of Mrs. Ana Ortiz, please visit https://didisflowershop.com/shop or call (956) 455-3718.

2 Comments

  • Karlynn Rowland Posted December 14, 2022 9:51 am

    My deepest condolences for you and your family’s loss. I will keep you in my prayers.

  • Anna Konya – AnnaKonyaDesigns.com April 25, 2023 Posted April 25, 2023 2:11 pm

    Ana left a wonderful impression on me at the Dallas Apparel Mart in the ’80’s. She and Frank were so creative with their marketing in the showroom just across the aisle from mine. Two most generous people!

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