Pumpkin Ortiz

Gabriela, affectionally known as Pumpkin, was born October 20, 1993, at St Joseph Hospital in Bryan, TX. Her first 10 days of life were spent in the NICU. She was a big baby weighing 10# 10 oz and always hungry! We insisted on feeding her ourselves. Every 4 hours we made the trip to the NICU. We could hear her crying from the elevators and the nurses urging us to hurry. "She's starving!"

Pumpkin was baptized by Msgr. McCaffrey. Her Godmother is her cousin, Chances Conner. Her Godfather is her uncle, Robert Jass. He's already in Heaven welcoming her.

Pumpkin had a life of doctor appointments, therapy and hospital admissions. Dr Scott Schans was her pediatrician for 25 years. He took wonderful care of not only Pumpkin but her anxious first-time momma. He always took our calls personally. I can still hear him saying, "Ok, now let's look at this logically". Our family was truly blessed by his care. His nurse, Vanessa Sikorski, gave Pumpkin one of

her beauty pageant crowns and dubbed her Miss America. Pumpkin would smile every time Vanessa called her Miss America.

But her life was so much more than medical appointments. She worked as hard as any athlete to strengthen her core muscles. This would enable her to hold her head upright without help. The first time she accomplished this goal the entire therapy room cheered and clapped. Pumpkin had a gigantic grin because she knew how hard she had worked to meet this goal. But when she didn't want to work hard, she would just close her eyes pretending to be asleep. She knew they'd leave her alone. And it worked!

Pumpkin loved Mexican food, chocolate and sweet desserts. We sure hope Heaven has cheese enchiladas! She loved classic rock and roll.She loved riding in the van with the windows down so she could feel the breeze on her face. Pumpkin especially loved the takeoff and landing on plane rides. Pumpkin was a real girlie girl. She absolutely hated being dirty! We never had to beg her to let us brush her teeth. And I've never seen a kid that loved showers and having her hair shampooed as much as she did. And of course, lotion to her skin after the shower!

Pumpkin and her daddy were two peas in a pod. He gave up his own ambitions to take care of her. She adored him and was truly blessed to have her daddy with her every day. He made certain she was always safe and happy.

Every night Fred the Frog and Baby Simba slept in her arms. Both were in her arms when she passed away February 19, 2026, at our home. They are going to Heaven too so they can be with her for eternity, I think she will love this.

Four very special men have the honor of carrying Pumpkin to her final resting place: her uncles Sam Valdez and Luis Tamayo and her cousins Austin Valdez and Aaron Longoria.

We miss our little Pumpkin Princess beyond belief. We miss her crooked smile, We miss her calmness. We miss the love she exuded and filled the room with. We just miss our baby girl! But we know with absolute confidence she is with Jesus. And when God calls our names, me and her dad will join her.