I had always known "Mimi" as "Felipa" in those years while she was working at St Bernardine's until she retired from her job and then we had started the continued friendship with her family on regular basis: every year on her birthday we would have breakfast with the entire family clans arranged by her son Luis.  It's been great fun, and I started calling her Mimi as the rest of the family did. The memory of her working in our unit was very precious and sweet. She respected me as a physician, and I respected her as the key-person to keep a nice working environment for all of us. She was the most thorough and hard worker who took the greatest pride in doing her job. We all appreciated that so much that we had developed a friendship with her. I have treasured this special friendship for many years. I was looking forward to the yearly breakfast this year when the sad news came to me while I was out of town.  I was so shocked and saddened.  You will be always missed, Mimi!

I am Richard Luis the first born grandson of Felipa and Trinidad Leon. Grandma Felipa raised me since I was an infant and during my childhood years. She will always be my first love. I will remember Grandma for all the teachings she instilled in me my entire life. She was born and raised in the barrio of San Bernardino. She met my Grandpa Trino at a carnival in the early 1940s and she married him October 1947. She became a young mother and raised four children. She lost her infant son Jr. in 1958 and she looked forward to seeing him again. She worked at St. Bernadine's Hospital for over 50 years. 
  I will remember that Grandma loved and enjoyed her job and she had fond memories of the staff and the nuns who supervised her. Grandma would work all day, come home, change and make dinner for Grandpa, Uncle and myself. She loved and really enjoyed cooking. Tacos, enchiladas, little chickens, rabbit and chorizo were some of her specialties along with her homemade sopa. What I admire most about Grandma Felipa is that she enjoyed cooking and working and caring for her family. She did all this without complaint. She never complained at all and she did it with dignity.
  She was strict and ruled with an iron fist but she was also a compassionate person. She would compliment me, my siblings or cousins and would give words of encouragement and wisdom. She was not educated as she had only a 10 grade education but she was educated in life, la vida and the way of the Barrio. 
  Grandma was a devout Catholic and dedicated herself to the teachings of Christ. She would tell me stories of the late Fr. Nunez and she would live the life of planting holy seeds of creation. She taught me that God is present in everything whether it was a rose bush, grass, an orange that was squeezed for fresh orange juice and in talking walks. She said that God will be there and we must trust in Him. 
  Yes, Grandma spoiled me with gifts and affection. I will always remember the time she and I would spend. We would talk for hours on the phone or we would walk in the mall or we would spend time looking at photo books and her special collection of charms and pins. 
  Grandma loved her pets and was dedicated to them as she was to us. Chiquita, Ace, Chato, Elmer and Chrissy were important to her and she took care of them. As her life was fading she explained to me that heaven is real and she saw the River of Blood with all the animals including her pets and mine. She saw and spoke to her loved ones who have made the journey. 
   Grandma promised me she would never leave me because she knew I was shy and sensitive. She always made things right for me and did everything to make sure I was ok. I remember she and Grandpa stood up all night while I was sick with fever and she put towels on my head and comforted me from the nightmares that plagued me. Grandma continued to look after me as I grew up. We would talk in person or on the phone many times. She enjoyed riding in cars and she loved hamburgers. 
  Grandma Felipa gave me many things but it was her just being there and making things right that I will remember her for. She lived the words of my Grandpa who would invoke the most powerful of Mexican sayings, "Manana es otro Milago de Dios!" which means, "Tomorrow is another Miracle of God's!" She lived by these words her entire life and she continued on no matter what it cost her personally. She never complained and she lived with dignity. She kept me from knowing the extent of her illness and as time wore on she taught me that human suffering can be dignified just like the late Pope John Paul II. 
   I am honored to had been born the first grandchild and for Grandma dedicating her life to me and our family. She taught me how to clean, do gardening, yard-work, cook and to pray with reverence; how to live a life doing the works of God and how to do it with sensitivity, caring and love.
  Grandma Felipa lived a long life and when she got tired she went to sleep and awoke in Paradise as she touched the Face of God and was restored to youth and vigor and reunited with her loved ones. 
   "To her surprise and my Grief time crept in, I am richer for having known her!" 
   Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to take, if I should die before I wake I pray the Lord my soul to take.
  Thank you, Gracias mi Amor, te amor mas! Not goodbye, till we meet again. Thank you for everything Grandma.

We love grandma, and great-grandma very much,she will always be loved and missed very much.

I worked with Felipa for years at St. B's, she was a wonderful person, hard worker, very caring and a good sense of humor.  I was there at her retirement, and glad that she was able to enjoy many years of  good times with her family and grandchildren.  I know she will be greatly missed by all.  God Bless you Felipa

OBITUARY

Felipa "Mimi" M. Leon

23 August, 1927 – 20 July, 2012

Mt. View Mortuary & Cemetery

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