Luana Concha

Luana Gael Oblinger Concha passed away on January 9, 2025, in Stuttgart, Germany. Unfortunately, Lu became ill suddenly while visiting with her son and family who live in Germany. Despite excellent medical care at the hospital in Stuttgart, her condition worsened. Her sons, John and Nick, and daughter-in-law, Jana, were at her bedside when she peacefully left her earthly bonds to be with Jesus.
Lu was born on 6 November 1946 in Beaumont, Texas, to Warren Harwood Oblinger and Mary Luana Kenneaster Oblinger. She was the eldest of two children. Lu grew up in Southeast Texas and loved climbing trees at her maternal grandmother's farm in Pearland, Texas. Later in life, she was very involved in the Pearland Historical Society as her great-grandparents on both sides of her family were among the first settlers in Pearland. Lu is the granddaughter of WWI veteran - Virgil Keneaster, neice of WWII veteran - Kenneth King Keneaster, granddaughter of WWII veteran - Clyde Elsworth Oblinger, and daughter of WWII veteran - Warren Harwood Oblinger.
Lu graduated from Port Neches-Groves High School in 1964 before studying at Stephen F. Austin University and the University of Texas in Austin. In 1967, she met Mario Julio Concha of Barranquilla, Colombia, South America, marrying and moving to Clute, Texas. Later, they welcomed sons John Daniel Concha and Nicolas Andres Concha. Lu visited Colombia, South America a few times with Mario and fell in love with his family and the beauty of Colombia. With her adventurous spirit, she would tuck an English-Spanish dictionary under her arm and dive into the culture and life in and around Colombia. Mario and Lu were active in the Lake Jackson Jaycees and the Columbia Lakes Golf Club in Texas. Their married life ended in October 1981; however, they remained good friends committed to co-parenting their two sons.
In 1983, Lu and the boys moved to Casper, Wyoming, and lived near her parents/their grandparents. In later years, they would make several 24-hour drives to return for Wyoming's summer and Christmas holidays. In 1985, Lu and the boys settled on the south side of Houston, Texas. She was devoted to her boys and shared many adventures, such as countless baseball games, traveling, fishing, camping, snowmobiling, and attending musicals such as Cats and Fiddler on the Roof and music concerts such as Pink Floyd.
Lu worked for 20 years at the University of Texas Health Science Center in the Payroll and Benefits Department, retiring in 2003. She loved UT and her co-workers and living in the Clear Creek area so her sons could attend excellent schools despite her longer commute.
She was an avid Houston Astros baseball fan, movie buff, and cook. After retirement, she loved quilting, building Legos, and traveling. She was an outstanding grandmother, devoted to the grandkids: Audrey Lake Hardy, Madisyn Estella Concha, Alexander James Concha, Sebastian Daniel Concha, and Juliana Anjali Concha, and cousins from all sides of the family. Miss Lu, or Grammy Lu as they all called her, loved playing with her, and she, in turn, loved playing with them, teaching them, laughing with them, cooking, and sharing gifts with them.
Lu is survived by her two sons, her brother Stephen Craig Oblinger of San Antonio; daughters-in-law, Amanda Williamson and Jana Concha, plus "bonus" daughters April Wright-Warren of Houston and Amy Thomasson of Dallas; niece Amanda Oblinger Guerrero; numerous cousins, sisters-in-law Carmen Elena Concha de Peralta and Martha Concha de Escudero, and brother-in-law Sergio Concha Zuñiga of Colombia; and other treasured extended family members in Texas, Colombia, Denmark, and Spain; and close friends Doris Scott and Dee Warren.
She will be greatly missed. Family and friends will celebrate her life with a memorial service on Saturday, 8 March, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. CST in Texas City, Texas. There will be an online/streaming service for those who can not attend in person. Please get in touch with the family for details.
Instead of flowers, please consider a donation in her name Luana Concha, to either:
Houston Addiction Prevention and Recovery: https://www.councilonrecovery.org/donate-online/
Family Promise of Spokane prevents and ends homelessness for children and families. https://www.familypromiseofspokane.org/?form=donate