Raymond Teodoro deSola

Raymond Teodoro deSola, age 79, of Houston, Texas, passed away on October 8, 2025 after a recent minor stroke and brief period of illness. Ray was born on January 14, 1946, to Oscar and Liesel deSola in Caracas, Venezuela and grew up in Caracas, attending Escuela Campo Alegre and Colegio Americano and graduating from high school in 1963. Ray attended George Washington University for his first year of college, and then transferred to Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 1964. Ray graduated from SMU with a B.B.A. in June 1967 and then continued his studies at SMU, graduating with an M.B.A. in May 1969. During his time at SMU, Ray met and began dating Genny Taber of Jackson, Tennessee who was also attending SMU. Ray and Genny married on July 25, 1969.

Ray and Genny lived in Dallas for the next several years where Ray began his career at First National Bank and their daughter Deborah Elizabeth was born. Ray, Genny, and Debbie moved to Ray's hometown of Caracas in 1972 where Ray worked for Creole Petroleum (Exxon). The family grew in 1975 when Ray and Genny's second daughter Christine Marie was born. After oil companies were nationalized in Venezuela, Ray began working for the First National Bank of Chicago. Ray continued his work for First Chicago in New York City after the family moved to New Jersey in 1977, and then continued working with First Chicago in Houston starting in 1981. After First Chicago closed its Houston office, Ray worked for several other banks in Houston including First City Bank, Metrobank, Charter Bank, and finally Sterling Bank where Ray was head of the international department, senior vice president, and a beloved boss.

Ray suffered a major stroke while working at Sterling Bank in September of 2009 which dramatically impacted his life and led to a long period of recovery at TIRR Memorial Hermann. Ray later returned to work at Sterling Bank for a short time before retiring. Ray and Genny began attending Champion Forest Baptist Church soon after moving to Houston and have been part of the church for many years. After Ray's stroke, he became interested in reconnecting with the language of his youth, and Ray and Genny began attending the Spanish worship service at Champion Forest and the Cambiando Vidas Sunday School class. Ray was also involved with the International Friendship Ministry at Champion Forest for several years, where he touched many lives.

Ray spoke English, Spanish, and German fluently and loved to travel, visiting Canada, Europe, South and Central America and Asia for business and with beloved family and friends. Ray especially loved cruising, most recently traveling to Alaska in July 2024. Ray was an avid tennis player for many years and enjoyed watching tennis, the Astros, the Texans, and other sports. Ray was a music lover from a young age, serving as a DJ at SMU while in college and collecting thousands of records, tapes, and CDs over the years. During the last years of his life, Ray was rarely far from his iPad or phone, listening to streaming music. Ray enjoyed a wide variety of music including rock, pop, country, Latin, French and Italian music. Favorite artists included Bobby Darin, Dion, the Moody Blues, Alison Krauss, Johnny Halliday and many more.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Liesel deSola, and brother, Roger deSola. He will be missed very much by his wife, Genny deSola; daughter, Debbie Southerland and husband Nathan of Franktown, Colorado; daughter, Christy Crandall and husband Paul of Katy; and grandchildren Will Southerland, Abby Gatz and husband Cole, Jack Crandall, and Jonathan Crandall. Ray is also survived by his sister, Mercedes Rock and husband Ken, and his cousins, nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Ray's life and faith in Christ will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 10 am in the chapel at Champion Forest Baptist Church, 15555 Stuebner-Airline Road, Houston, TX 77069 with a reception to follow. Donations may also be made in Ray's honor to Sports Quest, P.O. Box 1383, Cypress, TX 77410-1383 or www.sqsoccer.com.