Maria Cornelia Crisantos-Linares

On Wednesday, January 13, 2015, the world's only "Wita" passed away. Our abuelita, Maria Cornelia Crisantos, is our inspiration and best friend. Born to Ramon Daniel Crisantos and Tomasa Suarez Linares in Penjamillo, Michoacan, Mexico on March 22, 1944, the oldest of twelve kids, Wita is the most intelligent and morally strong woman we will ever know.

She taught us, her grandchildren, to fight for what we believe in and work hard. She worked hard her whole life so we could have the life she dreamed for us, marching and organizing with Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta to ensure that we would have a secure and comfortable future. We love and appreciate her passion for sharing our family's history and culture with us, and we'll miss her fun stories and amazing cooking. We will continue to honor our culture and practice our Spanish for you, Wita. Her greatest wish was to see her grandchildren graduate from a university, an accomplishment her oldest granddaughters have achieved, with her younger grandchildren well on their way. We hope that we can continue her legacy of strength, courage, dedication, and compassion. Our grandmother always stressed the importance of keeping God in our lives, always giving thanks for her multitude of blessings and serving Him as a teacher and disciple through her many years of involvement with her community church. We are sad to see you leave, but we rejoice in your return to Him. We love and miss you, Wita, and we promise to continue your legacy as we further our education and grow as a family.

She is survived by her son, Pedro Antonio Navarro and his wife Leslie; her daughter, Martha Little and her husband Joel; her daughter, Maria Rosario Fergus and her husband Brian; and her six grandchildren: Maria Jovanna, Lindsay Malia Crisantos, Connor Morrison Thomas, Martha Diana, Sara Maria, James Antonio Ramon as well as many cherished sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visitation will be held at Lisle Funeral Home on Friday, January 16, 2015 starting at 1:00 pm and then followed by the recitation of the Holy Rosary at 7:00 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 4636 W. Dakota Ave., Fresno on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at 9:00 am. Burial to follow at Fresno Memorial Gardens.