Jesus Zamora

Our father, Jesus Zamora has had a very interesting life. He was always told that he was born in Texas but after a careful search for his birth certificate, it turned out he was born in Florence, Kansas. His father was named Ysidoro Zamora and his mother Guadalupe . Our dad had 2 brothers, Manuel and Roberto and a younger sister , Enedina. The family moved around a lot because his father Ysidoro, worked in the railroad laying tracks in the U.S. He lived in places like Wichita and in El Dorado, Kansas. He also lived in many parts of Texas.

The family moved to a small town call Cantuna. This was in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico. There they had a nice spacious adobe home. When he was about 10 years old., he worked in the fields. He farmed corn and beans and also was responsible for keeping the mules out of the crops .Dad also learned to experience using the plow to tend the fields. In addition to working in the family fields, he also worked for other farmers. We believe this was the beginning of his hard work ethic.

One of the town carpenters taught our father the art of carpentry. He learned to make tables, doors, windows and even caskets. This skill he carried out through his lifetime. He really enjoyed this type of work.

Our parents married in 1946 in the town of Cantuna . Dad was 25 years old at the time. Father traveled to El Paso, Texas and spent about many months there working in agriculture. He would then send money to our mother that was living in Cantuna. He knew very little English but eventually did improve his language skills. He worked on large cotton farms. Dad experienced the hardships involved in cotton picking. He lived with 8 other workers in a small bunk house. The bunk house had a wood burning stove and this is where, he learned to make flour tortillas. Dad tells us that there were about 700 men working there. Once day the immigration came out and every one ran. Many were sent back to Mexico that day.

Dad went back home to Cantuna because mother was very ill .Mother was put in a sanitarium and spent years there. His first born son died as a result of this illness and our father worked in a hospital in Mexico City to help pay for the medical bills. Father eventually went back to Cantuna . Dad decided to go back to the United States

to work in the cotton fields. They paid him four dollars a day. He then got a letter from his brother Manuel encouraging him to go to Santa Paula. Dad got on the train for Santa Paula and he found work right away. He worked picking citrus fruit. for 80-86 cents an hour.

In 1951 Dad moved mother to Tijuana, Mexico. His son Sergio was born there ,followed by his daughter Silvia a year later and then Dario a year after that. Father went back to working in agriculture. Dad also worked making bricks in Los Angeles for a short time. My father had heard that the San Diego Gas and electric company was hiring. He landed a job there and worked there until he retired. He moved mother into the United States around 1954. We lived in a small 2 bedroom apartment in San Ysidro boulevard. Mother then had 2 more children, Juan and a year later Alicia. We lived there till November 6,1960. At this time dad bought his first house on 30th street. The house was surrounded by agricultural fields and is was a wonderful quiet place to raise kids. Our sister Cristina was born 5 years later. Our father retired from the San Diego Gas and Electric company after 33 years of service.

Father taught us good work ethics. He enjoyed keeping busy in his work shed and around the house. He loved going for long morning walks ,sometimes as far as 7 miles. He taught his sons carpentry, auto mechanics, driving , painting ,laying cement and so many other skills. He also taught us to care for the environment.

Our father was strict initially, as most father were in those years but as time went on he developed a good relationship with his children. We cherish and love the person that he became. He will truely be missed by his family and friends.

Arrangements under the direction of Funeraria Del Angel Humphrey, Chula Vista, CA.