Mary Sanchez

She was our rock, our leader, and our dear, sweet, and selfless wife and mother.

Maria Irma Charles was born on July 30, 1938, in Del Rio, Texas, to Samuel and Eloisa Charles and was the middle child of eight. She was the younger sister of Gloria, Alfredo, Angelica, and Oscar, and the older sister of Robert, Reginaldo, and Orfa.

As a young girl growing up in Del Rio, she was an outstanding student athlete, running track for her junior high and high school teams. In her off time, she enjoyed socializing with her friends and numerous cousins from Del Rio, attending concerts, movies, and spending time in nature.

In the summers, her parents would travel with her brothers and sisters from Texas to Northern California to work in the agricultural industry. On one of these trips, Mary came to San Jose and fell in love with the region’s beautiful landscape and weather, and thought that one day she would like to live there.

After graduating from high school, Mary entered the University of Texas and began her college studies.

In 1961, she met the love of her life, Jesse Sanchez. Jesse was working at a local H-E-B supermarket as a clerk when Mary and one of her friends entered the store. Upon seeing Mary, Jesse told one of his coworkers, “I’m going to marry that girl”.

After dating and a short engagement, they were in fact married in 1962. A year later, they welcomed a son, Jesse, and two years later, his sister Diana.

In 1966, the family traveled to the Bay Area for a vacation. While there, Jesse and Mary decided to leave Texas and relocate to San Jose to raise their family, initially settling there before moving to Sunnyvale.

Mary decided to continue her studies and focused on getting a degree in Dental Hygiene. Mary enrolled at Foothill College, graduated with honors, and was quickly employed to start her 35 year long career.

In 1976, the family moved from Sunnyvale to the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose. Mary quickly became involved with their kids’ activities, supporting them in their youth sports and clubs, all while balancing a full-time work schedule.

During this time, she and Jesse became small business owners. They owned and operated a Quik Stop convenience store in East San Jose for fifteen years. It was not uncommon for Mary to work a full day and then come to the store to help Jesse in the evening hours.

Mary was part of the Cathedral of Faith Church community, where she attended services faithfully every Sunday and participated in numerous events and fellowship gatherings sponsored by the Church.

Mary had a true passion for traveling, exploring different regions of the world, and a deep love for new places, cultures, and experiences.

Mary was also a devoted sports fan and rarely missed watching a San Francisco 49ers, Oakland A’s, or University of Texas Longhorns game.

Mary was a pillar of her community, involved in volunteer work with several senior centers and numerous social clubs.

Mary’s greatest legacy, however, was her family. Married for 62 years, she and Jesse proudly raised both their children, and Diana gave them two beautiful twin grandsons. Mary would often spend her time attending the grandchildrens’ Boy Scout and school events.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Samuel Charles and Eloisa Padres Charles; her brothers, Alfredo Charles, Oscar Charles, and Reginaldo Charles; and her sister, Angelica Martinez. Mary is survived by her husband, Jesse Sanchez; her two children, Jesse Sanchez and Diana Brandis and her husband Paul; her two grandchildren, Nicholas and Jacob Brandis; her brother, Robert Charles; her sisters, Gloria Garcia and Orfa Vargas; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.