Mary Esther Armenta

Our dearest Aunt, Mary Esther Martinez Armenta, passed away from natural causes in Chino, California on Thursday, December 31, 2015 at the age of 93. Born in El Paso, Texas on March 12, 1922 to Juan and Esther Martinez, she moved with her parents and three siblings to Madera, California as a young girl.

As a young woman in the early 1940's, Mary relocated to Los Angeles where she worked as a sales woman for many years at clothing boutiques located in downtown Los Angeles and along Brooklyn Avenue (now Cesar Chavez Avenue) in Boyle Heights. She married her husband of forty-five years, Frank Armenta, on October 16, 1949 at Dolores Mission. She was a parishioner of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lincoln Heights, and resided in Boyle Heights for over 70 years until her death.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Jessie Chavez of Chino, her husband Frank Armenta, and brother John Martinez of Norwalk. She is survived by her sister Elvira ("Vera") Lopez of El Paso, cousins, and numerous nieces and nephews spanning four generations who loved her dearly.

Auntie Mary is best described as a loving, warm, generous, independent, and intelligent woman, who loved her family and friends. She had an endearingly cheerful demeanor, an infectious smile often accompanied by lively, spirited laughter, and a witty sense of humor. Her favorite pastimes included gardening and reading. She especially enjoyed reading and learning about history and politics. She also enjoyed walks, and sitting on her porch where she would engage in laughter-filled conversations with her friends and neighbors. She was an avid supporter of and donor to the Police, Sheriff's, Firefighters, and Veterans organizations of Los Angeles and California.

A combined rosary prayer service and Catholic Mass will be held for Mary at Funeraria Del Angel Pierce Brothers Griffith at 13002 S. Central Avenue in Chino beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 22, 2016. Immediately following, she will be laid to rest with her late husband and our beloved Uncle Frank at Riverside National Cemetery at 22495 Van Buren Boulevard, Riverside, California. Memorial donations in Mary's honor can be made to a veterans affairs organization in Los Angeles County or Southern California.