Genoveva De Hoyos Morales

Genoveva de Hoyos Morales was born in Uvalde, Texas on November 11, 1928, to Crispin and Tomasa (Valle de Hoyos). She was one of six children.

She met her “lover” Juan C. Morales here in Uvalde. Both attended and graduated from Sacred Heart Catholic School. Juan and Genoveva were married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Uvalde on September 5, 1949.

Juan and Genoveva had eleven children, three boys and eight girls. While working her entire adult life as a full-time cook, she was also a full-time wife, mother, and homemaker, without ever complaining. On the contrary, she was a very loving, caring and supportive wife and mother to her family. She always made time to attend all the extra curricular activities and sporting events her children and grandchildren participated.

Knowing how hard she had worked all her life, she wanted better for her children, and education was particularly important to her. Although, she only attended up to eleventh grade. At the time, little did she know she would be the lead plaintiff in the biggest lawsuit in the history of the Uvalde School district. With nine children attending public school, the oldest a senior in high school and two still at home, she filed a lawsuit against the Uvalde Independent School District for segregation and discrimination against the Mexican American students. With the help of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) she filed the class action lawsuit on behalf of her children.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit found UCISD had failed to desegregate its school system.

Litigation continued until September 2008, when a Consent Order memorializing a settlement agreement was reached. The consent order also retained court supervision for a period of three years, but the order continued until 2017 when the District Court officially resolved the long-standing desegregation order.

Genoveva sacrificed more than most by allowing her family’s name to be attached to this ground-breaking lawsuit. This resulted in generations of Uvaldeans benefiting well into the future. Yet, throughout the entire life of the litigation, Genoveva and her familia experienced retributions to the level that we will never fully know or understand. These retributions were felt by her children while in school and at work. One can only imagine what she must have felt knowing she was doing the right thing while witnessing the anger and reprisals her familia continually experienced.

Due to all her work and effort, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, under Superintendent Dr. Jeanette Ball, honored Genoveva on March 31, 2014, at a ceremony naming Uvalde Junior High as the new Genoveva Morales Junior High. This was an honor well deserved for the struggle she lived so that Mexican American students of Uvalde, Texas would have an equal education opportunity. In the last ten years of her life, she would ask to be taken to Sonic for a soda run and to cruise Uvalde. On many occasions the cruising included driving by Genoveva Morales Junior High. She would stare at the sign that bears her name, at times with disbelief; yet with resolute, remembering the challenging times she lived during the 47 years of court battle with the Uvalde School District.

Genoveva was also honored in various other ways. The Lulac Council 4515 presented her with The President’s Award in 1995, MALDEF, bestowed her with The Matt Garcia Public Service Award during their annual gala on Sept. 9, 2011, in San Antonio, Texas, she was also honored as the Tamalera of the Year” during Uvalde’s Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration in 2011. In 2022, Our Lady of the Lake University of San Antonio, Texas established the Genoveva Morales Endowed Scholarship to help incoming freshmen from Uvalde County. She was also honored in two books that shared her story: A place in History by Olga Munoz Rodriguez and Revolutionary Women of Texas and Mexico by Kathy Sosa.

Genoveva’s impact on Uvalde’s destiny is undeniable and immeasurable. In addition to systemic changes to a powerful school system permeated with long standing inequities and social justice, she ensured UCISD remained compliant with the litigation requirements for decades. The list of her contributions is endless and spanned her entire lifetime. Some examples include: coordinating and cooking for, countless fundraisers in support of local politicos; providing invaluable advice to those seeking political office as well as individuals and area leaders focused on galvanizing grassroots efforts and being agents of change: sharing her unique experiences and life’s lessons to ensure the true history of Uvalde was not forgotten and efforts to improve the quality of life for all continued. She was strong in her faith and took pride in her heritage and culture. Genoveva Morales, clearly deserving our respect and appreciation, is remembered as a role model and hero by many.

She is survived by her daughters, Cynthia Rios and husband Xavier, Sonia Carmona and husband Frank all of Uvalde, Annette Arce and husband Antonio S. of Laredo, Yvonne Ramirez and companion, Enrique Canales, Lucila Morales all of Uvalde, Junice Kirkpatrick and husband, Tommy Loest of Victoria; sons, Daniel Morales and wife Mary Ann, Rev. Eduardo Morales all of San Antonio and Roberto Morales and wife, Connie of Uvalde; son in law, Raul Arredondo of Uvalde; grandchildren, Daniel Morales, Marisa Arredondo-Wang, Rita Rose Morales, Roberto Morales, Carina Morales, Ycela Hope Esquivel, Mirna Carmona, Anissa Arce, Antonio S. “Tres” Arce III, Stephanie Avila, Jessica Torres, Michael Contreras, Michaela Contreras-Ruiz, Matthew Contreras, Brooke Cavazos, Taylor Kirkpatrick and Hannah Loest; and 14 great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband; two daughters, Sulema Arrendondo and Michelle Contreras; and grandson, Xavier Jai Rios PFC USMC; sister, Alicia Arizmendi; and brothers, Crispin de Hoyos, Jose de Hoyos, Antonio de Hoyos, and Rodolfo de Hoyos.

Visitation was held on Dec19, 2025, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and a rosary was recited at 7 p.m. at Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary.

A Mass of Christian burial was held Dec. 20, 2025, at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Interment followed at Hillcrest Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Roberto Morales, II, Tony “Tres” Arce, Aldo Avila, Michael Contreras, Matthew Contreras, and Cedric Cavazos.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 408 Ft. Clark Rd., Uvalde, Texas 78801, Sacred Heart Catholic School, 401 W. Leona St., Uvalde, Texas 78801, or Genoveva Morales Scholarship at Our Lady of the Lake University, 411 SW 24th St., San Antonio, Texas 78207