Maria D. Farmer

Maria DelCarmen Farmer was born January 12, 1924 in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico. She had 13 brothers and sisters. She was raised by her mother and siblings after her father died when she was three years old. She went to school only up to the third grade. She had to leave school due to not having money to pay for schooling and having to help her family members a young age.

She started working at babysitting, cleaning houses and whatever other odd jobs she could find. She used to tell us stories about serving homemade coffee, pozole, menudo and other foods at train stations to make money to support her family. Once, a family hired her to work far from home but had to bring her back within a few weeks due to missing her mother too much. Her brothers were often away from home working to support their families. Three brothers were killed in one day due to wars in Mexico at that time. She had a strong Roman Catholic faith that sustained her during these difficult times.

Carmen worked as a waitress in the restaurant her sister owned. This is where she learned to cook pozole, menudo and her fried chicken. She always knew what she needed. Like any good cook, she never measured anything. After their mother passed, her sister moved up north to Tijuana. She followed her sister shortly to Tijuana as they had always been close. Not too long after arriving, Carmen was introduced to the love of her life, Clarence. They did not speak the same language but managed to fall in love. She would pay someone to write and translate letters for her so she could mail off letters to him while he was overseas in the Navy during the Vietman War. She continued working and doing whatever she could to support herself.

Once Clarence and she married on June 17, 1967, she was married by law in Mexico, when she got married in the church August 15, 1970 she considered herself truly married. During this time they bought their home that they would share for 35 years in San Diego. They had many friends and family that they would do things with. To her, her family came first. She was a wife and homemaker. She made trips to Mexico, St. Louis and Kentucky.

Carmen was known as a great cook in her family. Her nieces would come over on the weekends and eat to their hearts content in a house full of love and caring. She was a caring mother to Maria, later in life and often did whatever needed to be done to make sure her husband and daughter had all the love and attention they would ever need. Her husband never had to ask when his dinner would be ready because she always had it ready when he got home. She greeted him with dinner and a kiss. When Maria would come back from school, she always had food on the stove and love in her heart. When they left in the morning she was there to offer blessings for a safe return home.

Holidays were always special for her. She would decorate for Halloween and Christmas. She would always ensure that Christmas decorations were always up by December 12th, the day of the Virgen of Guadalupe, to whom she was devout. She would do the inside of the house while Clarence and Maria, strung lights outside and decorated outside.

Her house was always full of family and friends that enriched her and made her so happy. Her nieces were more like daughters to her as she had helped raise them since infancy. Her niece’s children were more like grandchildren who loved her as well. They would spend the night at times. There was always plenty of food ( french fries, pizza and sweets, etc..) and love to go around.

On November 21, 2006, she retired to Henderson, NV. She continued to love and welcome any visitors she received. She was doted on for by her loving husband and daughter. Her other family would visit her whenever they could.

As her mobility decreased, her spirit remained strong. She would still go to the stores and would eat apple pies and coffee. She asked her niece for some chocolate.

She remained strong until her last few days. She went peacefully on March 18, 2016 at the age of 92. She was surrounded by her husband, daughter and friends during her final hours. She was three months shy of her 49th wedding anniversary.

Her life was about family, friends, love, food and providing whatever she could to whoever needed