Marcella Samora aka Marcella Quintanilla is the mother of the late sensational singer, Selena Quintanilla. Marcella is also the wife of singer and music producer Abraham Quintanilla. She and her husband have three children together. Their three kids are Selena Quintanilla, AB Quintanilla, and Suzette Quintanilla. Fortunately, all three kids made their lives successful.
Besides, Marcella is a fierce mother who has worked continuously to support her children. She even had to witness the brutal murder of her second daughter, Selena. Yet, even at tough times, Marcella always found a home with the love of her life, Abraham.
But, what is going on with Marcella nowadays? How is her relationship with her children and grandchildren? This article will explore everything related to the Quintanilla matriarch, Marcela Samora.
Who is Marcella Samora?
Marcella Ofelia Samora was born on July 17, 1944, in the United States of America. She is part Mexican-American and part Cherokee Indian. Samora’s father was originally from Amarillo, Texas. However, her mother was a Colorado native.
Marcella has not talked about her upbringing or education yet. Nonetheless, she spent a significant part of her early life in Washington. Also, it was in Washington that she met her better half, Abraham Quintanilla.
She is 78 years old, as of 2022. She is five years younger than her husband. Samora is a famous celebrity mother who has three gifted children. She has nine grandchildren in total. She is a grandmother to two granddaughters and seven grandsons. She does not have any grandkids on Selena’s side.
Her astrological sign is Cancer. Just like her sign, Marcella is a bold lady who continuously supported her partner through ups and down. Samora even encouraged her children to do their best in life. Even after losing her second daughter Selena, Marcella did not give up. Instead, she worked endlessly in raising funds for the non-profit organization, The Selena Foundation.
Marcela Samora happily married to Abraham Quintanilla Jr., since 1983
While Marcella Samora was residing in Washington, she became familiarized with Abraham Quintanilla. At that time, Abraham was drafted into the military in October 1961. Quintanilla was serving at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma. The couple grew close together and started dating in 1961. Eventually, after dating for two years, they tied the knot on June 8, 1963.
On 13 December, Marcella gave birth to her first child, Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III. On the same day, Abraham received his discharge papers from active duty. Within a month, the Quintanilla family relocated their family to Corpus Christi, Texas. Corpus is the hometown of Abraham Quintanilla.
Marcella Samora with her husband, Abraham Quintanilla.Moreover, the Quintanilla duo went on to have two more children – Suzette Quintanilla and Selena Quintanilla. Back in the 1980s, Abraham introduced his children to music. It did not take him long to realize Selena’s potential. Subsequently, he formed a new group based off of his former band Los Dinos. He even named the band Selena y Los Dinos.
Marcella and Abraham Quintanilla have been married for 59 years, as of 2022. Still, the couple remains each other’s soulmates. Marcella has always been there for her husband. In return, Abraham went through tough times to provide for his family.
Consequently, Abraham left the music business completely to support his family. Before gaining fame, he got regular minimum-wage jobs as well. Presently, the pair’s net worth is estimated at $10 million.
Marcella Samora and her children
She shares three talented kids with her husband. Their children are Abraham Quintanilla III, Selena Quintanilla, and Suzette Quintanilla. As mentioned, their daughter Selena Quintanilla was brutally murdered in 1995. At present, they have one son and one daughter. Furthermore, the duo has a great-granddaughter as well.
Marcella Samora with her family members and son-in-law.Marcella Samora’s firstborn son is the American record producer AB Quintanilla. He was born on 13th December 1963. AB has an amazing career as a musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. From AB’s side, Marcella has eight grandkids- two granddaughters and six grandsons. In addition to that, Marcella is a great-grandmother too. Recently, AB’s son Svani Quintanilla publicly revealed his daughter, Yvie Quintanilla.
Marcella Samora’s second child is Suzette Quintanilla. Born on June 29th, 1967, Suzette is a multi-talented figure and was the drummer for Selena y Los Dinos. She married Bill Arriaga in 1993. Moreover, Marcella has a grandson on Suzette’s side, Jovan Arriaga. Jovan is an aspiring singer and is the spitting image of his aunt, Selena.
Marcella’s third child was the glorious star, Selena Quintanilla born April 16th, 1971. She is one of the most prominent Hispanic artists. She was the front-runner for the band Selena y Los Dinos. Even today, Selena is regarded as the Queen of Tejano Music. Up until her death, Selena gained enormous popularity.
Tragically, the light of the Quintanilla family died after the manager of Selena’s boutiques, Yolanda Saldivar, killed her in cold blood on March 31, 1995.
Marcella was diagnosed with a tumor
Sometime after the birth of her second child Suzette, Marcella’s doctor confirmed there was a tumor in her stomach. Additionally, the doctor wanted to remove it immediately. Before undergoing the surgery, Marcella went to get a second opinion and to everyone’s surprise, it was confirmed that she was pregnant. Since the fetus was misidentified as a tumor, it had an unexpected blessing of a child.
Furthermore, the second doctor informed Quintanillas that they were expecting a second son. They even chose the name ‘Marc Antony’ for the unborn child. But in a surprising turn of events, on April 16, 1971, Marcella gave birth to a second daughter at Freeport Community Hospital. One of her roommates there recommended the name “Selena.” Consequently, that was the birth of Selena Quintanilla.
What is Marcella Samora doing right now? Is she alive?
Currently, Marcella is enjoying her retired life with her husband Abraham. Marcella and her family members operate the non-profit organization, The Selena Foundation. Likewise, she is an active member of the foundation. The charitable organization supports young and underprivileged children in pursuing their education. Additionally, the foundation helps the youngster to strive in life.
Recently, Marcella can be seen in the premiere of the Netflix Original show, Selena: The Series. In the show, actress Seidy Lopez is playing the role of Marcella. Besides, actor Constance Marie also portrayed Marcella in the movie, Selena.