Hortensia was born on December 27, 1931 in El Paso, Texas. She grew up in El Paso and attended Lincoln Elementary School before moving to Juarez, Mexico where she lived for a short time. Hortensia returned to El Paso and started working at a young age in local stores and shops.
In 1954, Hortensia moved to Turlock, California after one of her cousins needed help with her small children. Hortensia helped with raising family members and also got a job in town. She liked working and living in California and decided to stay.
In 1955, Hortensia met Tony Valdez at the wedding of a family member. They soon began dating and got married in November 1956. Tony and Hortensia bought a house in Merced and soon started a family. Hortensia stayed home and raised three children, Aurora, Sylvia, and Danny. Many came to know Hortensia through her PTA activity at Margaret Sheehy Elementary School and Tenaya Junior High. She was incredibly supportive of her children’s activities such as softball, baseball, Camp Fire Girls, Cub Scouts, Cross County, 4H and band, among others. She was also a member of Merced Lions Club. Hortensia was known for her kindness and care of others. Growing up in El Paso, she helped to raise her younger siblings after her mother died. As she got older, she frequently helped take care of children belonging to cousins, in-laws, and friends, as well as nieces and nephews.
As the children got a little older, Hortensia began working seasonally at local packing sheds and canneries. In the mid'80’s, she stopped working at the canneries and got a job at a local motel. She began working in housekeeping and worked her way up to clerk and eventually manager. Hortensia worked for many years at the motel before retiring in the 1990’s. After Tony and Hortensia retired, they enjoyed traveling. They took local day trips as well as longer trips to visit out of state relatives. Hortensia’s hobbies included sewing, gardening and dancing. She and Tony were also regulars at the local Senior Center.
Hortensia is preceded in death by her parents, Gerardo Romero and Maria Sandoval Romero, her sisters Susana Diaz Maceira, Carmen Diaz (who coincidentally passed away the same day in Selma, CA), Virginia Romero Ramos, and her brothers Eduardo and Ramon Romero. She is survived by her devoted husband, Tony her children Aurora (Lucian), Sylvia (Lynn) and Danny (Kelly), her grandchildren Alena and Austin, her sister Beatriz Alvarez, brother Julio Sandoval, and her many, many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
The family would like to thank Hinds Hospice for all their care and kindness during Hortensia’s last months.
A private service will be held for immediate family members only, due to COVID19. A mass and memorial service will be held at a future date.
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