Marcella Samora- Bio of mother of Selena Quintanilla
Who is Marcella Samora?
Marcella Samora is the mother of late Selena Quintanilla-Pérez. She became popular along with Selena’s success and the unfortunate event.
Selena is perhaps who needs no introduction. She is a successful American-Mexican singer. Marcella’s daughter is known as the “Queen of Tejano Music.”
For Marcella Samora, life has been a rollercoaster ride. First, she lost her beloved daughter to a tragic event. Then, her daughter, Selena, was killed instantly in a shooting by her friend, Yolanda Saldivar, in a hotel room at a Days Inn in Corpus Christi.
Having to outlive your children is among the most tragic things a parent can experience. Yet, Marcella Samora and her family worked through their grief together and became more potent.
It was a testimony to their courage and bravery. Let’s learn about the mother of Selena, Marcia Samora.

Quick facts
Full name | Marcella Ofelia Samora |
Nickname | Marcy, Ella, and Cella |
Birthdate | July 17, 1944 |
Age | 78 years old |
Sun sign | Cancer |
Traits | Positive– Loyal, calm, and diligent Negative– Complicated, possessive, and secretive |
Birthplace | Quincy, Washington, USA |
Currently residing | Corpus Christi, Texas, USA |
Nationality | American |
Parents | Ralph Hernandez Samora, Carmel Garcia Mestas |
Grandparents | Pedro Mike Zamora Samora, Eulalia Hernandez |
Siblings | Daniel Mestas Samora, Arthur Ralph Samora, Gilbert Mestas Samora, Christina Emma Samora, Eddie Samora |
Marital status | Married |
Spouse | Abraham Quintanilla Jr. |
Children | Abraham Isaac A.B. Quintanilla III Jr, Selena Quintanilla, Suzette Quintanilla |
Education | Master of Arts in Journalism at New York University |
Profession | Social activist and homemaker |
Net worth | USD 5 million |
Social media | No information |
Hair Color | Blonde |
Eye color | Brown |
Height | 5’6″ |
Childhood

Marcella Samora was born in Washington, on July 17, 1944 to Ralph Hernandez Samora and Carmel Garcia Mestas.
She is of Mexican-American and Cherokee descent. Her father is from Amarillo, Texas, and her mother is from Colorado native with a Cherokee Indian.
As per a few online sources, her parents were a peasant. Given the era in which she was born, it could be likely that it might be correct and that Marcella comes from a working-class family.
Marcella Samora is a Cancer woman. By her sun sign, she is loyal, calm, and diligent. Conversely, some negative traits of a cancer woman are her complexity, possessiveness, and secrecy.
The name Marcella is of Latin origin. It means warlike, martial, and strong.
Marcella spent a good amount of her life in Washington. She met with her husband, Abraham Quintanilla Jr.
However, it is something that we will cover later.
She completed her education with a Master of Arts in Journalism at New York University.
marriages
Abraham Quintanilla Jr. (husband)
Abraham Quintanilla Jr was born on February 20, 1939, to
Abraham Abram Gonzalez Quintanilla Sr and Maria Tereza Calderon in Corpus Christi, Nueces, Texas. He was a US marine.

Abraham met Marcella met for the first time in 1961. They dated for two years before finally marrying in Yakima, Washington.
Similarly, Marcella’s husband was a musical group Los Dino member before joining the military. However, he rejoined the group after serving in the military.
Abraham Quintanilla Jr left his band and started working at a regular job at DOW Chemical to support the family. However, he still had a passion, so he continued teaching music to his children.
He was always in awe of his daughter Selena Quintanilla and formed the band Selena y Los Dinos (Selena And The Guys). They performed in the self-owned restaurant PapaGayos (Roosters).
When the 1983 recession forced the family to close their restaurant, the band performed in the streets and at parties in Corpus Christi.
Children

Marcella Samora had three gifted children- Selena Quintanilla Perez (April 16, 1971), Suzetta Quintanilla (June 29, 1967), and Abraham Isaac A.B. Quintanilla III Jr (December 13, 1963).
All of her children are blessed artists.
Selena, her youngest daughter, was a renowned Latin singer. She was known as the Queen of Tejano Music. Tragically, Yolanda Saldivar killed Selena, the fan club’s president.
Marcella’s son, Abraham Isaac A.B. Quintanilla III Jr, is a record producer, composer, and songwriter. He was a bass guitarist for the band Selena y Los Dinos.
Suzette Quintanilla was a percussionist and backup vocalist for the band. She is currently running an eCommerce shop that sells merchandise dedicated to Selena.

Career

Marcella was a homemaker. She was a good one considering the family’s lows yet the milestones achieved by her children.
Marcella deserves praise for keeping her home in order and having three great children who would make a difference in the world.
Marcella Samora and her husband’s children were also successful musicians. Despite her sadly short life, Selena became one of the most favorite entertainers of the century and is known as the “Queen of Tejano music.”
Marcella Samora Net Worth
Marcella does not have a regular job, so managing this was challenging. As a result, knowing her exact net worth is nearly impossible.
However, we could figure out the net worth of some of her family. This will provide us with a close approximation of her net worth.
Marcella’s net worth is estimated to be USD 5 million. Her daughter Selena Quintanilla’s net worth was around USD 10 million at the time of her death in 1995.
In addition, Texas Governor George W. Bush named her birthday Selena Day in Texas. She is currently the third best-selling Latin musician, with over 90 million records. A.B Quintanilla, her son, is believed to have a net worth of USD 5 million. Her spouse, Abraham, also has a USD 10 million net worth.
Social media
Marcella avoids social interactions. Furthermore, following her daughter’s death, she rarely occurs in front of the media to respond to questions.
She is living in the real world while ignoring the virtual world.
Is Marcella Samora still alive?
There has been much disagreement over whether Selena Quintanilla Pérez’s mother, Marcella Samora, is alive or dead. What happened to her, and where is she now?
Marcella Samora is alive and quite well to provide a precise and accurate answer.
She is still alive and seems healthy in her early seventies, and she chooses to live at home, where she gets a modest living away from the limelight.
She also runs The Selena Foundation, which she and her family established to assist underprivileged children with necessities, facilities, and education.
Her most true accomplishment was the struggle for justice for her late daughter, which won her a strong woman’s title.