Dora Alice Cantu

Dora Alice Earhart Soto Cantu, also known as Dody, passed away on August 17, 2025. She was 63 years old, but she would have told you she was 29 if you asked her. Born on December 4, 1961, in Corpus Christi, Texas, Dora spent most of her childhood there. At a young age, she helped her dad navigate maps during road trips, and at 13, she moved to Anchorage, Alaska, with her sister Terry to attend high school. Throughout her life, she also lived in Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, and Ohio, though Texas was always her home.

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A Life of Love and Selflessness

Dora's family meant everything to her. She married her best friend, John Cantu, and they were together for 30 years before he passed away in 2022. Together, they raised two daughters and proudly took on the responsibility of helping raise all the other children they considered their own. Dora was always the first to offer support during difficult times and the first to help you celebrate the good times. She provided unwavering love and care in everything she did. She was there for everyone: for long discussions about life drama or to offer advice, to defend anyone she loved, to provide support through other surgeries or health concerns, to use her creative skills to make every moment a memory, to listen when you just needed an ear, or to serve as the matriarch of the family and get you in line.

Dora's laughter was contagious, and her hugs were magical. She made everyone feel so loved and special. She was extremely selfless and treated every day like a holiday. Something as simple as having company over for dinner was always a celebration, and she was always so happy and excited just to see everyone. She would drop anything to put her loved ones first and do her best to make them feel special.

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Family

Dora is reunited in heaven with her mother, Rebecca Earhart Soto; her father, Robert B. Soto; her sisters, Terry Sue Reese and Cookie Soto; her brother, Bobby Soto; her husband, John Cantu; her brother-in-law, Rick Sanchez; and her nephews, Rey, Alex, and David.

She is survived by her daughters, Brandee Flores and Theresa Cantu; her son-in-law, Ramon Carmona; her other children, Rebecca Gonzalez, Sloan Arant, Mykaela Garza, Geno Garza, and Ryan Garza; her sisters, Yvette M. Garza and Gail Sanchez; her brother-in-law, Gene Garza; her soul sister, Angela Trevino; the families of her nephews and nieces, Jennifer Sanchez, Ricky Sanchez, Vito Barnes, Damon Barnes, Kenneth and Margie Kotz, and Baby Bobby. She is also survived by her grandbabies: T'Nara, Astella, Teresa, Itzel, Noah, Archer, Kora, and Baby Geno.

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Services

A celebration of Dora's beautiful life and the impact she made on everyone will be held at Seaside Memorial Park, 4357 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas, 78412.

• Visitation & Rosary: A visitation will be held on August 28, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with a rosary from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Funeral Service & Burial: A funeral service will take place on August 29, 2025, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., followed by burial at 2:30 p.m.

The distinguished pallbearers are her son-in-law, Ramon Carmona; her nephews, Geno Garza, Ryan Garza, Logan Arant, and Damon Barnes; her brother-in-law, Gene Garza; her soul sister's husband, Mike Trevino; and her grandbaby Teresa's father, Matthew Silva.

Flowers can be sent to at Seaside Memorial Park, 4357 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas, 78412. Donations are greatly appreciated and can be made to Theresa Cantu, $TheresaMonet (Cash App), or Brandee Flores, $BFlowers1222 (Cash App).

While this is one of the hardest losses her loved ones could bear, Dora would not want us to be sad. Instead, she would want us to celebrate her memories-filled with the laughter and love she brought into every room.