CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Sno-Ball has been a staple of Corpus Christi for over 52 years. At the start of the new year the last founder, Sophia Hernandez died from complications from dementia. However her son Raymond G. "RG" Hernandez said rather than mourn, to celebrate her life.
“We don’t want it to be sadness or crying, it’s about celebration. It’s about someone who did so much for the community,” RG said.
Sophia Hernandez co-founded Sno-Ball in 1972 with her husband Ramon V. Hernandez.
Sophia had been living with dementia for about 20 years before she died on Jan. 5. The response from the community showed just what she meant to Corpus Christi.
“We’ve gotten an enormous amount of texts, and emails, and messages from everyone that knew her. And, that she touched their lives because she was such a generous kind human being,” RG said
Ramon and Sophia fulfilled their dream of owning a grocery store just after Hurricane Celia hit in 1970. Things were slow and two years later an idea 'snowballed' and the store transitioned into selling Sno-Balls.
RG said like the lessons Sophia learned growing up, she worked hard on every detail from creating a lot of the Sno-Ball flavors to shaving the ice in a particular way.
“She had this passion for cooking and she would say, if you’re not going to cook with love, it’s never going to come out right. You’ve got to put love and kindness into what you do,” RG said.
RG said Sophia was heavily involved in the area which included hosting fundraising events for the medical community
“What she did provide for us was a good moral establishment of business practices and how to do things and about the passion,” RG said.
Ramon died in 2004.
The Hernandez’s daughters Tamra and Jennifer now run the two Sno-Ball locations on the Westside and Southside.
RG said his mother will be remembered for her kindness and generosity.
A visitation is being held Thursday evening from 5 to 9 p.m. with a Rosary at 7 p.m. taking place at Memory Gardens Funeral Home.
A funeral Mass will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at St. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church on Kostoryz Road and S.P.I.D.
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