Yolanda Ornelas

Yolanda Ornelas

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at Church On The Move for Yolanda Ornelas, 67, who passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 in San Antonio, TX. Interment will be held at 10:00 am, Thursday, October 24, 2024 at South Park Cemetery.

Yolanda was born on September 18, 1957, in Roswell, NM to Jose and Guadalupe Nieto. She was a lifelong resident of Roswell, and always had a passion for spending time with her family in Roswell and San Antonio, TX. Being an avid gardener, she took great care of her backyard which was abundant with plant life. One of her favorite things to do when she was able, was mow and trim her lawn. In her words, “it was a stress reliever.”

She was a longtime member of the Church On The Move where she enjoyed greeting everyone with a warm smile where she served as a greeter. She also frequently served in the church if help was needed when there was any type of church function or activities. She also had a tremendous impact on leading her family and friends to know the Lord. Her favorite bible scripture is Psalms 23. She was always available to talk to and speak love and words of encouragement to all who needed it. Her words would have a lasting impact for those she loved as she would speak the truth of what one needed to hear as opposed of what they wanted to hear. 

On August 19, 1978 she married Smiley Ornelas Sr. He was her lifelong partner and best friend. Together they raised their family in a loving and caring home.

Yolanda is preceded in death by her parents, her siblings: Tino Nieto, Fay Orona, Larry Nieto; her brother-in-law, Robert Gibson; sister-in-law, Joann Nieto; her nephews; Joseph Lopez and Guillermo Diaz; her niece, Mercedes Diaz and her grandson, Anthony Ornelas.

She is survived by her spouse, Smiley Ornelas Sr.; children, Daniel Ornelas (Christelle), Smiley Ornelas Jr., Israel Ornelas, Nicole Romero (Orlando), Eric Ornelas (Ramona); grandchildren Tracy Ornelas, Rikki Ornelas, Mariah Mendoza, C’Lara Ornelas, Bella Ornelas, Isaiah Ornelas, Tino Montoya, Alexis Ornelas, Brieanna Romero, Roman Romero (Courtney), Isabella Romero, Marina Romero, Tisha Ornelas, Abrielle Ornelas, and Adrian Ornelas; siblings, Sylvia Diaz (Guillermo Sr.), Esther Gibson, Ralph Macias, Josephine Nieto, Georgia Nieto, Vicky Olmedo, Mary Nieto, and Steven Nieto and many nieces and nephews.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are Smiley Ornelas Jr., Israel Ornelas, Eric Ornelas, Orlando Romero, Brieanna Romero, Roman Romero, and Ralph Macias. Honorary pallbearers are all her grandchildren.

Yolanda was greatly loved and will be missed by all who knew and loved her.