Velia Mesta Ramirez, age 98, passed away peacefully on March 21, 2022 due to natural causes in the comfort of her daughter Patricia Serrano’s home in Mt. Vernon, Washington. She was born September 27, 1923 in Miami, AZ to Jesus and Genoveva Mesta. She married Esteban Ramirez Portillo in 1950, who preceded her in death in 2016.
Velia had three passions in life: her faith, her family/children, and cooking. She was a devout Seventh-day Adventist for the majority of her life, read her Bible daily for inspiration, prayed daily and shared her faith with family, friends, and strangers alike. She placed great faith in her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and ceaselessly prayed for the well-being of her children, her family and friends. She was always willing to provide a listening and sympathetic ear to those seeking her counsel, which was often accompanied by prayer to be enlightened by the Lord for a solution. As the mother of nine children, when asked why she had so many children, she replied, “Because I love children.” She enjoyed cooking/making delicious and inspired traditional Northern Mexican food, such as enchiladas, tortillas, tamales, mole, chile rellenos, buñuelos, etc. She enjoyed singing hymns and was an active member of the Five-Points Seventh Day Adventist Church in El Paso, Texas.
Her life was a living example of the Bible verse, Ephesians 4:32 — “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”
Velia was one of 8 children and is survived by her sister Socorro Mesta España, her seven daughters and two sons: Olivia Gentilello, Patricia Serrano (and her husband Renan), Velia Martinez (and her husband Robert), Veronica Gutierrez, Soledad Armendariz (and her husband Albert), Genoveva Cartwright (and her husband John), Angelica Brunetti (and her husband Darrell), David Ramirez (and his wife Robyn), and Esteban Ramirez (and his husband Scott Martin). She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.
You are invited to join us in celebration of her life on Friday, April 15, 2022. An open casket public viewing will be held at Meraz Seventh Day Adventist Church - El Paso from 9:45 AM to 10:30 AM followed by the funeral service at 10:30AM, located at 8084 Meraz Ave, El Paso, TX. Interment will take place following the service at Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery Northeast.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.FunerariaDelAngelCentral.com for the Ramirez family.
