Mary Ellen DeLeon

After a brief battle with cancer, Mary Ellen DeLeon of San Bernardino quietly passed away on August 22, 2016. And so fulfilled the life of a woman who, on so many occasions, extended her hand to help others as a mother, sister, grandmother, friend and educator. She was a 65 year resident of San Bernardino.

Born in Tulare, California on March 27th 1935 to Antonia Rangel Tamayo of California and Jesus Tamayo of Mexico, Mary Ellen was a lifetime Californian, who lived in Watsonville, Chino, Alameda, Temecula, and Los Angeles working as a farmworker, helping to raise her younger brothers and sisters while continuing her education. After graduating from San Bernardino High School in 1953, Mary Ellen met Ramon DeLeon and the two were married in May of 1955 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in San Bernardino. She gave birth to one daughter, Margo De Leon of San Bernardino and three sons Gary De Leon (deceased in 2012), David De Leon of Oceanside and Darren De Leon of San Bernardino. She also raised a foster daughter Diana Ortiz Figueroa of Corona, and adopted daughter Tanya DeLeon of San Bernardino .

After a 25 years career in banking, she retired in 1990 from Wells Fargo. Mary Ellen devoted her life to helping others. From 2001 to 2008, she taught English as a Second Language classes through the local school district and made numerous friends with her many students. She loved spending time with her children, friends, family, nieces, nephews, and especially her ten Grandchildren and 4 Great Grandchildren .

Mary Ellen was preceded in death by her Parents Antonia and Jesus Tamayo, sister Isabel Mosqueda , brother Phillip Tamayo , husband Ramon DeLeon and her first born son Gary Ray DeLeon . She is survived by her sister Irma Flores of Victorville, four brothers Tony Tamayo of Colton, and Junior Agudo, Johnny Agudo and Michael Agudo, all from San Bernardino; three daughters, Diane Figueroa, Margo DeLeon, and Tanya DeLeon; two sons David DeLeon and Darren de Leon; ten grand-children Jessica, Angela, Fernando, Veronica, Jennifer, Nina, Denise, Siddeeq, Giselle and Ramon; many great grand-children, nieces and nephews. Her Rosary, Memorial and Burial will be on Friday September 16th, 2016 starting at 12:30pm at Mt. View Mortuary followed by the burial of her ashes in The Garden of Valor at the Mt. View Cemetery. A pot-luck reception, adorned with her favorite colors of purple, white and yellow, will be held at American Legion Hall 1401 Veterans Way in Colton, California from 4pm until 7pm on the same day. The family requests that attendees please bring a single long stemmed flower for a communal flower arrangement at the Memorial Service.