Ninfa Laurenzo

Rodriguez's father grew crops in a patch of farmland in the Rio Grande Valley.

[5] Ninfa Laurenzo's factory was in trouble due to increased competition and decreased profit margins.

In 1973 Laurenzo opened a 10 table restaurant in front of her tortilla factory in order to financially stay afloat.

[6] While at the restaurant, Laurenzo greeted guests, watched over the kitchen operations, and sometimes sang songs in an alto voice.

[8] Laurenzo had developed Diego's, a fast food takeout restaurant that specialized in soft tacos.

[9] In April 1987 Laurenzo started "Bambolino's Italian Drive-Thru," a restaurant offering pizza by the slice.

Laurenzo's Italian Bar & Grille lost $461,000 in three months, and McFaddin Ventures closed it in August of that year.

The Laurenzo family hoped that the increasing trend of carry-out food would help the Bambolino's success.

Laura Elder of the Houston Business Journal said that RioStar had "tried an experiment with Italian food that didn't pan out.

"[8] In 1996 RioStar operated several Ninfa's locations, one Bambolino's restaurant, and one Atchafalaya River Cafe.

[10] In 1998 Serrano's Cafe, an Austin, Texas-based company, acquired RioStar as part of the bankruptcy protection settlement.

[15] In 1984, Bush, then Vice President, appointed her as one of the five goodwill ambassadors to welcome Pope John Paul II in Puerto Rico.

[5] In 1988, while in New Orleans, Louisiana, she delivered a speech that seconded Bush's nomination for president in that year's election.

Laurenzo served as the key note speaker of a cancer forum, giving a speech to 2,000 people.

[17] On the week of her death, members of Houston City Council postponed their meeting so they could attend Laurenzo's funeral.

[12] The Mandolas also own a small restaurant shop located beneath the triangle in Austin, TX.

[citation needed] Gino Laurenzo operates Rio Grande Tex-Mex Grill in Washington Mills, New York.