Mary Mesa Gonzales

On Tuesday, February 18th, Mary was summoned by the Lord and she responded with, “Here I Am Lord”! Which happens to be one of her favorite songs. One phrase of that song that reminds us of her is, ‘I will hold your people in my heart’. It brings to mind a shoe box wrapped in floral paper and later one wrapped in brown paper. Both labeled – Prayers. On a tiny piece of paper, Mom would write the names of people her and dad would be praying for during their morning and evening prayers. One day I asked why she used such a small piece of paper to write the names. She simply said, “So more names could fit in the box”. Another day I asked why not write the reason they were praying for that person. Mom said, “El Senor sabe”. The other phrase she used most often was, “Con el favor de Dios”. That….was her faith. God above all.

As mom leaves children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, her brother and sisters, nephews, nieces, cousins and friends to miss her, we know she would not want us to mourn for long. She would want us all to remember good times. For us kids, the smell of tortillas cooking on a comal will always bring mom to our minds and hearts. Like when Andy and I would have one of us distract her while we each stole a hot tortilla from her pile under the dish towel. Mom would want us to remember days of camping; vacations; Sunday drives out in the desert; BINGO with her sisters; family gatherings and times at the cabin. She would also want us to remember her days with Sacred Heart Church with the Ladies Sodality, the fiestas, making menudo for fund raising, the Prayer group and the youth group retreats. We believe that each of our names and yours were written on a tiny piece of paper and placed in the prayer box at one time or another. She would want us all to live, work and play with ‘God above all’ in our lives.

She now joins dad, Nana, Tata, brothers, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins and friends. Let us all remember our loved ones in thought and prayer to carry on Mary/Mom/Gamma/Nana/Tia/Nina’s example of keeping God’s people in our hearts.

God bless you all,

Josie, Tina, Joe, Andy, Lori, Monica, Sylvia, Johnny, Frank and Leanne.