Oak Cliff community leader remembered for strong voice, enduring legacy

By Sriya Reddy Friends and family describe Liegea Lopez, 42, as a strong-willed “boss lady” who would help anyone with no questions asked. The Oak Cliff community leader was killed early Monday morning when her car veered into oncoming traffic near Dowdy Ferry Road and Trout Drive, according to Hutchins Police Chief Steve Perry. Her death will leave a void in southern Dallas, her loved ones say. “She literally impacted my life in so many ways,” Jennifer Torres, Lopez’s daughter-in-law, said. “She was there for me and my family through so many things. I feel like my life would have been really, really different if it wasn’t because of her.” Torres remembers meeting Lopez at the State Fair in 2018 when she first started dating Lopez’s son. They connected because of their love for their community. “She was like ‘Oh my God mija, I think we’re gonna get along,’ and I was like, ‘I think we are.’ From then on it was history,” Torres said. “We had a pretty strong relationship. She would always say that I was like a daughter to her.” District 1 Parks and Recreation Board member JR Huerta has been close with Lopez for about five years. From stocking up on toys during the holiday season to coats for the winter, Huerta said that Lopez did it all. “She had a very good heart as far as giving and giving and giving and giving,” Huerta said. “She never questioned anybody. She never questioned the integrity of a person.” LULAC Council 4782 President Hilda Duarte said that Lopez had a kind heart and a bubbly personality. Duarte organized a candlelight vigil Monday night near Lopez’s barbershop, Bishop Barbers, where hundreds gathered to grieve her death. “She was so friendly and mighty, and she would always tell me ‘We have to stick together. We’re community and family. If we don’t look after each other, nobody will,’” Duarte said. Musician Anita Marquez said that she connected with Lopez when they started organizing community events together for the Latina community. “Gea had a strong voice and she didn’t care about what anybody thought,” Marquez said. “She wanted peace more than anything. She was really big on family and her boys were everything to her.” Lopez is survived by her husband Marcus Santillan, and three sons, David Cantu, 11; Favian Hernandez, 16; and Francisco Hernandez, 21. Lopez’s memorial service will be at Hughes Funeral Home in Oak Cliff on Wednesday at 1 p.m. followed by a drive-through on Jefferson Boulevard at 4:15 p.m. “We want to do a drive-by on Jefferson because that’s her street,” Duarte said. “She owned it and supported everyone there.” Lopez’s family has created a GoFundMe, which has raised about $10,000 so far.

This story, originally published in The Dallas Morning News, is reprinted as part of a collaborative partnership between The Dallas Morning News and Texas Metro News. The partnership seeks to boost coverage of Dallas’ communities of color, particularly in southern Dallas- at the bottom.