Lucy Mary Rete Silverio joined Our Lord and Savior on June 18, 2025, at the young and tender age of 90. She was the beloved wife of Eusebio Hernandez Silverio for 35 years, a devoted mother to Rosemary Fuentez and Margie Gaona, and cherished grandmother to seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Lucy was the sixth and final child born to Walter (Guadalupe) and Angela Rete on December 15, 1934.
She grew up in Riverdale, CA and attended Riverdale High School and graduated in 1953. Afterwards she moved to Fresno to attend Fresno City College where she studied stenography. While in Fresno she met the love of her life, Eusebio Hernandez Silverio at the Rainbow Ballroom. The couple would spend many happy years together and raised their two daughters, Rosemary and Margie, in Raisin City, CA.
Lucy is dearly remembered for her passion for helping others, especially children. She worked for many years at the Raisin City School as a teacher’s aide and as a Home Liaison, where her fondest memories were enrolling children in school. Following her retirement she began the second chapter of her professional life as a medical interpreter for monolingual Spanish speakers at the children’s clinic at Valley Medical Center.
Lucy was extremely dedicated to Christ and her family. While taking her husband and children to visit relatives in Nogales and Mexico City she discovered her love for traveling. She is remembered as an avid traveler; some of her most memorable trips were to Jerusalem, Lourdes, and The Vatican. Her love and devotion for the Catholic Church was profound. She was sure to impart her strength, wisdom, and humility to her grandchildren and all who crossed her path.
Lucy was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings Gabino, Josephine, John, James, and Frank; her husband, Eusebio; her daughter, Rosemary Fuentez; and her grandchildren, Miguel Gaona and Andrea Fuentez. She is survived by her daughter Margie and son-in-law Raúl Gaona; son-in-law Phillip Fuentez; grandchildren Gabriel Gaona, Felipe Fuentes, Angela Fuentez, Missy Fuentez, Steffani Gaona; and by her great-grandchildren Justin Zurita Gaona, Natalie and Noel Soto, and Hadrian Gaona.
A Visitation will be held at Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home, located at 836 E. Nees Ave., Fresno, CA, 93720, on Thursday July 24, 2025, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be at 5:00 pm on Thursday.
A Mass will be held on Friday, July 25, 2025 at 10:00 am at St. Helen Catholic Church, 4870 East Belmont, Fresno, Ca., 93727.
A graveside service will be held on Friday, July 25, 2025 at 11:45 am at Oak Grove Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 19811 Cedar Street, Laton, Ca., 93242.
