Maria Refugio Lozoya

July 4,1919 – January 16, 2012

Age 92, of Sacramento, passed away peacefully at her home with family by her side on January 16,2012 She was born in Las Minas, Chihuahua on July 4th 1919, and was preceded in death by her husband Ramon Lozoya Sr. sons Ruben E. and Ramon Jr. She is survived by her children Angelo, Ruben, Tony, Lolly, Armondo, Deila,Bertha, Rick, Tina, Rosie and Abraham. And many grandchildren,great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. She will be missed by her family, her caregiver and friend Carmela Rodriguez and friends. Family and friends are invited to attend her Rosary at 6:30pm on Monday January 23, 2012 at St Roberts church 2251 Irvin Way, Sacramento and the funeral mass at 10am on Tuesday January 24, 2012 at the same location. We will gather for lunch at Kavanagh Community Center next to St Rose church on 5961 Franklin Blvd. Sacramento, CA

Maria Refugio Lozoya she was a full time homemaker. A mother of twelve children eight sons Angelo, Ramon, Ruben Y., Tony, Armondo, Rick, Abraham. Five daughters Lolly, Dee, Bertha, Tina, Rosie. There are 33 grandchildren 65 great-grandchildren 5 great great-grandchildren.

Born in Las Minas, Chihuahua on July 4th 1919. She came to Las Cruces, New Mexico around 1920 after her father Pedro Masias passed away from pneumonia. She, her mother and siblings lived with her grandmother while her mother worked to support them.

She started school at ten years old in kindergarten and quickly moved up to the sixth grade. Then one later they moved and the school was three miles away and could no longer go to school. She moved to El Paso, Texas around 1936 and married Ramon Lozoya in 1940 in El Paso, and there they had their first son Angelo. They left El Paso around 1942 heading for California first Salinas then Fresno and finally to Sacramento in 1942 until 2012.

Maria belonged to Our Lady Guadalupe church and to St Roberts for the last twenty plus years. She raised her twelve children and helped with many grandchildren as well. She made sure we all received our sacraments, learned to pray and to teach our children as well. She was a woman of strong faith starting with the rosary every day at 6:30am, 1:00pm and 8:00pm daily along with her intercessory prayers for all the family and friends and those that were on the list that she had at her bedside. As time went on she became wheel chair bound but had one mean left hook and gave an EMT (ambulance guy) a bloody nose. As dad would say “she was one tough Cookie”