Rosario Garza was the twin of Rosa.  Rosario was the taller of the twins.  In photos the girls and later, grown women, always appeared together as they were inseparable.  They can also be seen in the photo above standing just behind their mother and father and in front of their older brothers.  Rosario is the taller of the two. 
Rosario was Dorace and Geary Goodman's mother.   Dorace also produced the biography of her mother Rosario below. 
On August 14, 1913 at La Violeta Ranch, Rosario was born fifteen minutes after her twin, Rosa, making her the youngest of the Garza children. Because of all the work that had to be done at the ranch, Mama Paula had the second oldest daughter, Aurora, care for Rosario  In later life the personalities of the twins has very similar to that of their sisters, Rosario and Aurora were patient and calm while Rosa and Hortencia were the opposite.

When the twin girls turned five, in 1918, the house in Laredo was purchased.  School was one reason for the move.  There had been a “escuelita” at the ranch, but because there were fewer children, the school was closed.  The family would spend more time in town rather than at the ranch.  However, the twins learned many important skills at both the ranch and at home in Laredo.  At the ranch they learned about the family’s dairy production from milking the cows, to making cheese and butter.  They also learned about beef production including the making of carne seca.  They were also instructed in other important details such as “what time a proper lady could receive callers to the porch”.

Another skill Rosario learned was sewing.  Rosario liked to sew and went on to become an accomplished seamstress along with five of her sisters.  Rosa did not enjoy sewing but preferred cooking and keeping a clean house.  The death of Papa Martiniano, Nov. 11, 1926, must have been very traumatic because they never spoke of it.

As the twins grew, they were known for their beauty and many young gentlemen vyied for their attention, but with seven brothers and five sisters, few were allowed close.  They would travel with their mother to visit their Aunts in Guerrero, or visit their sister in Chiapas.

At age 16 Rosario was diagnosed the tuberculosis, her bed was moved to the screened porch and with treatment she recovered.  The last year of high school she remained in bed resting and did not graduate.  When Rosario and Rosa would come from school or shopping in downtown Laredo they walked by a shoe store on the corner of Convent and Farragut. That store was owned and run by Isadore Goodman and his son Lionel.  Lionel would spot the girls crossing by and would run to the doorway on Convent to see the girls walk by and down the street toward home. 

One evening Rosa received a call from a friend who needed a ride for herself and her friends.  Rosa and Rosario took the car to and picked up their friend and her boyfriend who also had two of his friends with him.  There was not enough room in the car for these young people and Rosario had to sit on one of the boy’s lap.  She didn’t know who he was, but he had beautiful green eyes and she gave him a kiss as he left the car.  Three days later this green eyed boy appeared at her front door asking permission to speak to her.  This young man had been the very same Lionel Goodman who secretly watched the twin girls walk by his shoe store on their way home. 

He soon became a regular caller and had to prove to the Garza brothers that he had serious intentions.  In 1939 they were married at the rectory of San Agustin Church with a Papal dispensation because he was Jewish.  As a wedding present Mama Paula had a house made for them on 2817 San Bernardo.

They had Dorace after 10 years of marriage and Gaery after 14 years.   Family life and church service at St Peter’s filled Rosario’s days as did her constant contact with her twin sister, Rosa, and the rest of the sisters.  It was common to see the sisters “window shopping” the latest fashions on Sunday evening and wearing a similar dress days later. 

In 1981 Lionel died, but Rosario lived 15 more years until 1996.  Her children and her grandchildren were the joy in her life but she was very proud of having been born at La Violeta Ranch and had a deep love of the land that was passed to her by her parents. 

Rosario Garza Goodman
Los Garza del Rancho La Violeta
The history of the ranch and its founders:
Don Martiniano Garza Flores and
La Doña Paula Villareal Benavides de Garza