Tributes

Our beautiful mom glorified the Lord all the way to the end of her life. She took her last breath at 8:33 pm on Monday, August 22, 2022, surrounded by the love and strong faith of the small family she built and leaves behind. Her heartstrings belonged to Asherton, Texas where she was born to Francisco and Marcelina Valenzuela on January 9, 1934. She married Augustin Alvarez at the age of 16 and began her life as a wife, mom, and migrant field worker. This humble yet challenging journey led her to settle in Fresno, California with three young children. Fresno became home and she had three more children thereafter. She continued her hard work harvesting many fields of the Central Valley. Around 1975, at the age of 41, she began her journey of caring for elderly residents at the Nazareth House of Fresno. Serving the Lord’s call, she lovingly served the elderly with the utmost dignity and respect. This love and compassion never went unnoticed by her elderly residents and their families. She retired after 25 years of serving. After retiring, her true love began. She finally got to enjoy the fruits of her labor. She had an absolute love for the small but mighty family she built. She tenderly served her mom role to the fullest and with great pride. She lovingly served her “Grandma Marta” and “Mama Coco” roles to her grandchildren and great-grandsons. She poured so much love, laughter, faith, and wisdom into each of them. And her family relished her presence and looked for their blessing each time they parted from her. Mom had a beautiful outlook on life. She was beautifully admired for her faith and great strength. She carried the Lord so close that she rarely complained of her life sufferings. She prayed with full gratefulness for her life and fervently prayed for her entire family. And although she longed to see her two sons that passed away before her, she enjoyed loving and being loved upon while she waited patiently for the Lord to call her home. Her sense of humor, her love, her kindness, and her unconditional love will be sorely missed. She leaves behind loving memories that will never ever be forgotten. She is preceded in death by her two sons Humberto Alvarez and Angel Alvarez, her grandson Philip Gene Ramirez Jr., her parents, and Valenzuela siblings. She leaves behind her children Manuel Alvarez, Marina Ramirez, Abel Alvarez, and Ana Gonzales; two son-in-laws Philip Ramirez and Augie Gonzales; her granddaughters Andrea Torres, Salina Ramirez, Angelia Gonzales, and Eleena Gonzales; her grandson Elias Gonzales; five great-grandsons Marcus Ponce, David Torres, Devin Martinez, Jalen Martinez, and Jonah Martinez; and six grandsons and several great-grandchildren in San Diego.

Tributes

Maria Valenzuela Garcia

January 9, 1934 - August 22, 2022