Dora Dolores Guerrero was born on May 26, 1931, in San Marcos, Texas to Alfredo and Eulalia Guerrero. Dora and her 9 siblings grew up on a farm. Her family also owned a restaurant and sold insurance. After her father’s death, Dora remained close to home, worked as a librarian while attending college-Southwest Texas University, and she obtained a bachelor’s degree in speech and English.
Shortly after graduation, Dora met Captain Glenn D. “Tommy” Thompson, a World War II veteran and U.S. Army pilot. The couple married in July 1951. Tommy received orders to Germany, and Dora followed. After a few years in Germany, Dora and Tommy found out they were going to parents. Unfortunately, before their son was born, Tommy died in a plane crash in 1954. Dora returned stateside and gave birth to her son Glenn at the army hospital at Presidio of San Francisco.
After Glenn was born, Dora returned to Texas and moved in with her mother. Since her mother lived close to St. Mary’s University, Dora decided to pursue an advanced degree and applied to St. Mary’s University School of Law. Dora excelled in law school, making the Dean’s List nearly every semester, and received her law degree in 1957. While attending law school, Dora met her second husband, Julius Grossenbacher, Jr. Julius received his degree the previous year, and was working for a local law firm. Dora worked briefly, but decided to stay at home after their daughter Lisa was born in 1958. Four years later, their son Gary was born.
Although Dora was a licensed attorney, her path was not in practicing law. In 1963, St. Mary’s University became a co-educational institution, but the predominant members of faculty were Marianist Brothers. Having little experience with female students, they needed assistance to help with the integration. Having close friendships with the Marianist Brothers, Dora was recommended, and she became the University’s first Dean of Women in 1964.
In her inaugural year, Dora quickly directed the construction of a new dorm, found housing for students in the interim, and shaped university policy for the newly enrolled female students. Although beginning as a part-time position, she worked full-time and was later hired as the first female Dean of Students in 1973.
During her tenure as Dean at St Mary’s University, Dora served as Vice President of the United Way and received the “Headliner Award” for community service. In 1973, the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), in its infancy, offered Dora the position of Dean of Students, recognizing her great work at St. Mary’s University. She accepted and became IJTSA’s first female dean. Dora worked for UTSA for eighteen years. During her tenure, she established policies, administrative rules, and procedures for UTSA, and managed non-academic student activities and student services.
During her time at UTSA, Dora and Julius headed in different directions and divorced, but remained good friends. Dora later married radiologist Dr. Bill Hauser in 1980. After she left UTSA, Dora continued to be active in the communities in and around San Antonio. Dora developed an advanced cancer and she passed away in 2002 at the age of 70. She was a spectacular person with a beautiful smile who captivated everyone who met her. She lies in rest at Mission Burial Park North in San Antonio, next to husband Bill. St. Mary’s University School of Law established a scholarship in her name, the Dora Grossenbacher Hauser Memorial Scholarship for Legal Studies, to honor her commitment and legacy.
By: Barbara Ortiz, St. Mary’s University Law Fellows in Public History (2024)
References:
- U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, Census 1930,1940,1950 Texas, Hays County, San Marcos.
- The Evening Times, “Dora Guerrero, Texan, Engaged to Athens Pilot” April 28, 1951, https://www.newspapers.com/image/353098598
- Obituaries, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, Mar. 10, 2002, https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sanantonio/name/dora-hauser-obituary?id=50180319
- Stone-Harris, Regina. 2019. “The Remarkable First 50 Women Law Graduates of St. Mary’s University: Part One” https://commons.stmarytx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1517&context=facarticles
- Erica Esparza, 2020, “P’alante: Influential Latinas of St. Mary’s Law School”, https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/69c3a37f65d949f9b184e7209698b684
- Attorney’s Wife Appointed Dean, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, June 13, 1964, BARRISTER NEWS, Fall 1954: Spring, Fall 1955; Spring, Summer, Fall 1956: Deans list and active membership
