Maria Consuelo Tapia

June 26, 1930 – April 8, 2022

Surrounded by family, Connie lost her battle with dementia on April 8, 2022. A longtime Chino resident, she was born in Brawley, California and was raised in Rancho Cucamonga, California. She attended the Old Cucamonga School and graduated, Valedictorian of her class in 1945. Her family suffered through difficult times and she was unable to attend high school. From then on, Connie was self-educated. She spent hours in the local Cucamonga Library and read a variety of books and literature. She studied English grammar, American history, mathematics and other educational materials. As a result, her self-teaching was equivalent to a higher education. While Connie attempted to further her education, she also worked in the Cucamonga Vineyards. She picked grapes in the scorching sun during the summer seasons. Later, she was hired to stock and label wine bottles, by a senior Italian couple and she worked at their small winery for six years. She was then recruited to work for a shoe factory in Pomona, (Rodaine of California). She worked there for five years, before meeting her future husband, Augustine Tapia, in October 1955. They met at a wedding reception held in Chino, California. Augustine had just returned from military service in South Korea, in February 1955.

Connie and Augustine were married on June 24, 1956, after dating for several months. When their first daughter, Connie Christine, was born in June 1957, Connie stopped working to become a full-time homemaker. They had a son, David Arthur, born in 1958. Another daughter, Olivia Marie, was born in 1963. After her daughters started school, Connie returned to work as a Bilingual Instructional Aide, to teach limited English and non-English speaking students. She worked for the Chino Valley Unified and Ontario-Montclair school districts. Combined, she worked as a Bilingual Instructional Aide for 23 years. In those years of service, she taught her students how to read and write, and express themselves, fluently, in English. She enjoyed her work and loved to teach the students who desperately needed her help. She cared for those children like they were her own. She was empathetic towards their situation, as she, herself, had attended school as a limited English speaker. Early in life, Connie understood the importance of mastering the English language, here in the United States.

In her free time, Connie loved to listen to Mexican music. She loved to dance to cumbias, tangos and boleros. She especially enjoyed cooking and baking. Her specialties were Chile Rellenos, Enchiladas, Tamales and Meatloaf. She was known for baking her special cakes, cookies and pies: Pineapple Upside-down Cake, Mexican Raisin Bread, Pumpkin Pie and Capirotada. Connie also enjoyed sewing and embroidery. Many of her blouses, pillowcases, dishtowels were handmade (and embroidered). She always helped in making her daughters’ Drill Team uniforms as they attended Chino High School. In addition, she loved gardening. From a cutting or a seed, Connie could grow anything! Prior to her dementia diagnosis, the family remembers her, always, as a very active, organized and accomplished woman of great strength.

Connie was preceded in death by her son, David Arthur Tapia, her parents, Ambrosio Rodriguez and Juana Castro Rodriguez, a sister, Sylvina, and brothers, Rosario, Fernando, Paul, Vidal and Ambrosio Jr. She is survived by her husband, Augustine Tapia, her daughter, Connie Christine Almendarez and son-in-law, Mike, daughter, Olivia Marie Camacho, and son-in-law, German, a granddaughter, Leyna Camacho, and grandsons, Brandon Rayburn, Jonah Camacho and Nathan Camacho. She is also survived by her youngest brother, Aurelio Rodriguez and sisters-in-law, Jeanne Rodriguez, Dolores Delgado, Lupe Elias, Julia Tapia and Celia Tapia. Connie will forever be remembered and missed by her family and friends that knew her. She was a beautiful, faithful wife and a loving and nurturing mother and grandmother.

Viewing for Maria C. Tapia will be held at Funeraria Del Angel Mortuary, 13002 Central Ave, Chino CA, on Thursday June 2, 2022, from 4-6pm. Prayer of the Rosary will be held from 6-7pm. Mass is scheduled for Friday June 3, 2022 at 10am, at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 12686 Central Ave, Chino CA. This will be followed by the gravesite burial service at Holy Cross Cemetary, Lexington Ave, Pomona CA. A Celebration of Life for Connie Tapia will then follow at the American Legion Post 299 Hall, 13769 Central Ave, Chino CA.