Eunice Medina

1938-2015

Eunice Medina was born July 12th, 1938 in San Antonio, Texas to Manuel and Lilia Orozco. She was the second of 7 children. Nonie, as she was known by family and friends, started her education in a one room school. The classroom consisted of 8 grades and only one teacher! It was in a back room of a little church in San Antonio. From her humble beginnings, Nonie accomplished much in her lifetime.

On July 19, 1952 Nonie and her family moved to Los Angeles. They crammed 9 people into a 1948 Chevy! Nonie (age 14), 5 siblings, her parents and maternal grandmother made the trip from Texas to start a better life in California. They started their trip at night to avoid the heat of the desert. Their 1948 Chevrolet did not have air-conditioning. They initially settled in Redlands. Nonie’s parents looked for work and better housing. Later the family purchased a larger home in East LA.

Nonie was ready to enter high school and she relocated alone to Loma Linda to attend an Adventist school. Her parents sent Nonie to Nyla Farrar, a woman who was instrumental in Nonie’s life. Nonie worked caring for Nyla’s children and cleaning house in exchange for room and board while attending high school. Nyla stressed the importance of an education to Nonie. This became her home for years. She occasionally went back to visit her family for the weekend and her sister Nellie looked forward to these visits. Nonie was always kind and patient with her little sister. Nellie admired her big sister.

Nonie was always responsible, reliable and helpful. If she was around, her birth family knew that things would get done. Nonie graduated from high school and Nyla encouraged her to go to college. Nonie’s parents wanted her to return to their home and work to help support her siblings. Nonie took Nyla’s advice and started nursing school. Shortly thereafter she received a call from her mother that they desperately needed financial help. Nonie being a responsible and caring person, quit nursing school and returned home to help her parents. Nyla found out and drove from Loma Linda to East LA. She spoke with Nonie and her parents. Nyla did this to help Nonie and her parents understand the importance of higher education. She stressed that Nonie would be better equipped to help in the future if she remained in college. This proved very true for Nonie and her parents. Years later Nonie and her husband Ben would purchase brand new houses and a car for her parents. A thing her parents never dreamed of having in those days of poverty.

Nonie returned to nursing school in National City at PVH. She made a friend named Francis Medina. Francis noticed that Nonie was a lovely person and decided to introduce Nonie to her brother Ben, a college student at La Sierra University. The weekend Ben came to visit, Nonie was hospitalized having undergone a tonsillectomy. She was in her hospital bed recovering when Francis and her brother Ben walked into the room. Despite the awkward circumstances, they fell in love. They married on November 14, 1958. They immediately started a family and in 1959 Nonie gave birth to their first son, Waldo Rene Medina. One month later Ben wanted to drive to his father’s home in New Mexico to visit his family. As a new mom, Nonie wasn't too fond of the idea, but she went along with her husband’s plans as a trooper. Very much in love with Ben, she often went to great lengths to please him against her own better judgement. They took Nonie’s sister Nellie and were supposed to drop her off at a boarding school in New Mexico. That didn’t work out as Nellie didn’t want to stay in New Mexico. Ben and Nonie took responsibility of Nellie and took her to live with them in National City. Nonie took classes and Ben held any job he could find. Nellie cared for Wally for one month until she started high school. Unable to find steady work in National City, Ben and Nonie decided to return to LA, but never gave up on their dream of finishing their education and returning to San Diego County.

They gave birth to their second son in 1960. Alan Ted Medina was born. Years later they had their daughter, Natalie Jo Medina. Throughout this time they worked long hours to support their family. They also continued their education. Nonie returned to nursing school and finally graduated as a Registered Nurse when Natalie was about 5 years old. They sold their portion of a business they had started and Nonie went to work long hours to put Ben through medical school. She worked hard at her job and at home. When Natalie decided to color the walls of Ben’s study room, Eunice taught herself how to apply wallpaper. She was always busy making drapes for the home or clothes for her kids. She supported the family emotionally taking the kids to UCLA so they could see their dad at school. They were tough times for the Medina family, but Nonie did her best to keep them together.

By 1979 she and Ben had finished the education they started in the 1950’s when they met. They did it! Despite many hardships along the way, Ben had fulfilled his dream of being a doctor and Eunice was an RN. They immediately returned to National City in 1979 and together they opened Ben Medina, MD, Inc. They continued to work hard and together made their medical practice very successful.

Their daughter, Natalie, followed her parent’s example of obtaining a higher education. Natalie, as her father, could not have finished her medical training without the help of her mother. Nonie provided help to her daughter by driving often from SD to LA just to cook, clean, do laundry and provide emotional support.

In 1993 Nonie developed lung problems. She was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and given 5 years to live. She was now a grandmother to one year-old Jennifer. Nonie retired from the office and dedicated all her time to her children and granddaughter.

Despite her health problems, Nonie continued to provide invaluable support to her family. She supported Ted visiting his home-building projects. She supported Wally with his architectural schooling and his support of then-struggling singer, Jewel. Nonie had worked hard for so many years and now she was enjoying helping her family. During residency training, Natalie was sent to Minnesota for one month. Pregnant and afraid to go alone, Nonie accompanied her daughter across the country and stayed by her side to care for her. Soon thereafter Natalie was hospitalized with a life-threatening complicated pregnancy and placed on complete bedrest. Again Nonie helped her daughter. She also cared for her granddaughter and would bring Jennifer often to visit a very lonely Natalie. Nonie’s second grandchild, Nathan, was delivered by emergency C-section to save Natalie’s and Nathan’s life. He was very premature and weighed less than 4 pounds when they released him from intensive care and sent him home. Nonie helped.

Nonie was the most loving and caring grandmother! She dedicated everything to her grandchildren! She brought them joy and spoiled them rotten with love. She would travel to exotic locations to care for her grandson Nathan (while his parents went scuba-diving) or fly to different US states to visit with Jennifer. Nonie really hated to fly! But her grandchildren would smile and Nonie forced herself to get on that plane. Often she was stressed out the whole flight, but she would do it for them. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her grandchildren. She traveled to places like Belize or Utah or Tennessee just so she could spend many happy moments adoring her grandchildren. They meant everything to her! When she was healthy enough you would always find her in the company of her grandchildren. Jennifer, Nathan, Manny or Benjamin were always with her. Even after her health deteriorated, she found joy in her youngest grandson, Jonathan. He spent hours in her room and she would only listen to him about taking her medications.

Nonie was known for many talents. She had a passion for gardening. In LA and SD she always maintained a beautiful yard and was often complemented on her roses and fruit trees. She had an artistic talent teaching herself to paint and decorate cakes. She was caring and generous with her time with many people. She took care of her parents bringing them to SD and providing them with new houses and a car. She drove countless miles to take her Aunt Loida to church or dialysis appointments. She welcomed cousins, friends, and family into her home. Childhood friends of Wally, Ted and Natalie often commented on how much they wished Nonie was their mom. She had dear friends and was loved by many!

Nonie follows her husband in death as he was the love of her life! She is survived by 5 siblings, three children, 5 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She lived a life filled with love, tears, hard work, joy, family and friends. She was humble and always giving of herself. She was unique and loved. We were blessed to know her and she will be missed!