Mrs. Maria Armida Rico Solis

When Mrs. Maria Armida Solis walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Maria was and how she impacted those around her. Maria was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Maria wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Maria was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

She was the daughter of Jesus and Enedina Rico. Maria was raised in Juarez, Mexico and Los Angeles County. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Maria might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Maria was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

Maria was raised with three siblings. She had two younger brothers, Rene and Sergio, and one younger sister, Elvia. Maria was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Maria was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Maria well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her.

As a young girl, Maria was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Maria was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. In her spare time, she liked to read and knit. Maria had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

During her high school years, Maria responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. Maria was a very good student, and generally did well in her courses. Maria absorbed as much as she could from all of her teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using her imagination to master her assignments. For Maria, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to her ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Maria a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to her to discuss just about anything. Her favorite class in high school was Home Economics.

With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends, Maria was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Maria was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. She always seemed aware of what was going on with people around her and throughout her life she made many, many friends. Later in life, she became friends with Candy Borjas, Rita Jauregui, Paula Ramirez, Maria Elena Lozano.

Maria's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to make her new family happy. She was quite sensitive towards Jose's needs, showing her constant concern and fondness. Maria was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served her well in helping to nurture her family.

Maria was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Maria, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Solis home. Maria's skill at understanding her children's feelings, her sensitivity to their needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Maria was blessed with four children: two daughters, Sofia and Yvonne, and two sons, Jose Martin and Ernesto. They were also blessed with one grandson, Brien.

Maria was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation was Educational Aide. She was employed for over 20 years by LAUSD. Maria was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize her. Maria had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for insight. Maria's fellow workers saw her as a supporter and a mentor.

Because Maria loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were knitting, canvas crafting, reading, and Fill-Ins. Maria had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, Maria's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

Throughout her life, Maria was actively involved in professional and community organizations. She was compassionate, accommodating and quick to move into action. Always able to build a consensus, Maria seemed to be the person smack dab in the middle of things, working to get things done. Those who had the opportunity to work with Maria usually agreed that when you were involved in an organization with her, it was as entertaining as anything you could imagine. Throughout her later years, Maria was an active member of the Cudahy Roman Catholic Mission.

Because Maria was constantly in the center of things and where the action was, she always seemed willing to join in and help, regularly getting involved in community activities. Maria's gift of planning and improvisation, along with a talent for rallying support, made her a great asset. Maria found new ways of getting things done in order to help make just about every activity more efficient and enjoyable. Maria was an active member of several community groups, serving on committees for the Cudahy Roman Catholic Mission.

Maria was a woman who was dedicated and devoted to her faith. She was a member of Cudahy Roman Catholic Mission for 20 years. During that time, she was serving as a Catechist and participated in many church festivals. She was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and she used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for her beliefs.

Though she never did anything solely for individual recognition, Maria's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and selflessness, earned her accolades for her many lifelong efforts. Some of her most prestigious awards included receiving her Catechist Certificate.

Maria's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Maria took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favorite vacations included Yosemite National Park, Big Bear, Camp Williams, and San Francisco.

Maria was a lover of animals and cherished her pets.

Maria Solis passed away on September 23, 2011 at Paramount, California. She is survived by her children Sofia, Yvonne, Jose Martin, Ernesto; her grandson Brien; her brothers Rene and Sergio and her sister Elvia; her mother Enedina. Services were held at Sacred Heart and Saint Mary Guadalupe Catholic Church in Cudhay, California. Maria was laid to rest in Resurrection Cemetery in Montebello, California.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Maria. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Maria Solis for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Maria was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.

Arrangements under the direction of Funeraria del Angel Bell, Bell, CA.