Matilde De Martinez Zaragoza

Matilde Zaragoza Leiva Martinez entered eternal life on Tuesday, November 1, 2016. Her spirit is carried on by her 8 children, 24 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and an extended family of daughters and sons in-law. She joins two of her children, her parents, 4 siblings and her loving husband in heaven.

Born October 24, 1923, in La Cuestita Penjamillo, Mexico, she was the third child of 6 siblings. In her early adolescence, her family moved to Churintzio, Michoacan, Mexico where she lived a great deal of life. She later migrated to California in 1978 where she lived her last years.

At an early age of 15, Matilde began work as a live-in servant for Maria de la Luz Martinez. She worked very hard and her duties included collecting corn, grinding it to make masa for tortillas, and preparing meals for the family she lived with.

While working for the Martinez family, Matilde caught the eye of Maria’s son, Rosendo Martinez. Over time, the two fell in love and they eventually married. Maria de la Luz was not happy about the marriage because of the different social class. Her in-laws never accepted Matilde even after Rosendo and her had children. Never the less, Matilde taught her children to always be kind and loving to others, especially to her in-laws. A true testament of the kind of woman she was.

Although Matilde did not go to school, she always pushed for her children’s education. Despite the families need to work in the fields, Matilde fought for her kids to attend school for as long as they could. She knew the value of education and felt strongly about giving her children an opportunity to learn.

Matilde was a woman of high integrity. On one occasion, her son Juan recalls walking with her down the street where they come across a rope that someone had accidentally left behind. At this time, they did not have much and a rope like this one could have been very valuable. Juan wanted to take the rope, but Matilde explained that the rope did not belong to them and it would not be right to take it.

Matilde was a devoted mother and resourceful caretaker. She was known for her loving care and her ingenious herbal treatments. During a frightful incident when her son Arturo was seriously ill, Matilde never lost hope. Even though others thought it was impossible for him to recover, she ignored the possibility and did everything she could to nurse him back to good health. Thanks to her devotion, tenacity and strong faith, Arturo survived.

Matilde’s faith was strengthened by her devout Catholic beliefs. She took her kids to church every Sunday and always encouraged her children to grow in their own faith. Even up until her last days, Matilde never denied anyone who asked for a benediction blessing. Although she suffered from dementia in her last years, she remained a loving mother, grandmother, role model and faithful follower of Jesus Christ.

May she find her peaceful resting place among the many saints she prayed to, may she continue to serve our Lord in heaven, and may she ready the way for the family when it is our time to join her.

The viewing will be held on November 10, from 5pm to 9pm at Funeraria del Angel Bellflower, 1033 East Alondra Blvd. Bellflower CA 90706. The Rosary will began at 7pm.

Funeral Services will be held on November 11 at 10am at Funeraria del Angel Bellflower and follow at Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Road, Whittier, CA 90601.