Maria Del Refugio Godoy Rodriguez

      When Maria Del Refugio Godoy Rodriguez walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Maria Del Refugio was and how she impacted those around her. Maria Del Refugio was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Maria Del Refugio wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Maria Del Refugio was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

      Maria Del Refugio was born on the 5th of May in 1924 in La Manga. She was the daughter of Vadelia and Guadalupe. Maria Del Refugio was raised in La Manga and Tepic in Nayarit. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Maria Del Refugio might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Maria Del Refugio was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

      With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends, Maria Del Refugio was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Maria Del Refugio was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. She always seemed aware of what was going on with people around her and throughout her life she made many, many friends. While growing up, some of her best friends were Tecla, Celia, and Angelina. Later in life, she became friends with Angelina and Tela.

       Maria Del Refugio's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to make her new family happy. She was quite sensitive towards Pedro Rodriguez's needs, showing her constant concern and fondness. Maria Del Refugio was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served her well in helping to nurture her family.

      Maria Del Refugio was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Maria Del Refugio, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Rodriguez home. Maria Del Refugio's skill at understanding her children's feelings, her sensitivity to their needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Maria Del Refugio was blessed with ten children: Luzmilla, Avelina, Adela, Maria, Teresa, Carmelo, Jesus, Marcelino, Pedro, and Ruben.

      Because Maria Del Refugio loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were cooking and gardening. Maria Del Refugio had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, Maria Del Refugio's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

      Maria Del Refugio's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Maria Del Refugio took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favorite vacations included Mexico, Tepic Nayarit, and La Manga.

      Maria Del Refugio was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Snoopy, was a best friend for ten years.

      Maria Del Refugio Rodriguez passed away on 29th of June of 2012 at Claremont Care Center. She is survived by her ten children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Services were held at St. Frances of Rome in Azusa, California. Maria Del Refugio was laid to rest in Oakdale

Memorial Park in Glendora, California.

      There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Maria Del Refugio. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Maria Del Refugio Rodriguez for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Maria Del Refugio was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.