Cover photo for Martina H. Chavira's Obituary
Martina H. Chavira Profile Photo
1917 Martina 2019

Martina H. Chavira

April 19, 1917 — July 19, 2019

Celebrating the life of Martina Chavira/ “Abuelita”, ”Gramita” April 19, 1917 - July 19, 2019 written by Diana Olivar (granddaughter) How tough is it to be a single Mom these days? Now think about this, Martina was widowed at the age of 25. Her husband was shot and killed in a saloon. She was left to raise two small children; her daughter Elva who was five at the time and son Armando who was two, this was back in 1942 in a rural part of Chihuahua, Mexico in a small ranch called Santa Rita. There was no government assistance, no medicare, no career path for my grandmother who had an elementary education. She found whatever work she could to provide for her children. Three of her brothers had moved to the city of Chihuahua where she knew she would have more opportunity to help herself and family. She left her two kids with her mother and went to work to provide for her family. My Mom recalls how much she would miss her and would cry when she left. With the help and support of her brothers Alfredo, Manuel (tio Guero), Alfonso, and her mother and father she was able to navigate her future. Eventually, she moved the whole family to Juarez where her children could go to school and her parents could have a better life. Grandma started working for a family in El Paso who sponsored her citizenship. It took a lot of sacrifice and courage, but she was eventually able to cross to the US with her children. Without knowing the language and being in a foreign land, she managed to work for the next 50+ years and always paid her own way. She taught her children and grandchildren the value of hard work, strength and courage by example. If it wasn’t for her will to give her family a better life none of us (her kids and grandkids) would be here today. We are one generation removed from living in a third world country. She did this alone, she never remarried, not so much as dated anyone. Her friends who were married shunned her. It was a tough time to be a widow back then. I have never known a time without my grandmother. She was our matriarch, our pillar, the example of love and strength and of caring and wisdom all rolled into one. I have often said, nothing gets passed Grandma. In these last couple of years, her body was showing signs of 102 but her mind was as sharp as a tack. She was lucid, the details she could remember surprised everyone. She told great stories and often reminisced about days on the ranch when she and her friends would steal the neighbor’s donkeys and hold on for dear life. She remembers the town dances when everyone would dress up and have a wonderful time. A simple time when fetching water from the arroyo, making tortillas, and walking to school was normal. No electricity, no electronic devices at the table, and no running water and yet it was a happy time and the land provided what was needed. Grandma was no stranger to sacrifice, it was all she knew. She worked cleaning homes, taking care of children and eventually landed a job at a furniture store in downtown El Paso. She learned to sew and was very good at it. I remember her taking the bus Monday thru Friday downtown where she worked every day without fail. She eventually moved in with her daughter, Elva in 1963. The two have been inseparable ever since. They went everywhere together. If you would see one the other was close behind. My mother loved her mother deeply and took care of her, often sacrificing her own health and well- being to ensure Grandma had everything she needed to be comfortable, happy and healthy. My mother has always put her mother first in every decision she has taken. I want to acknowledge her for her tireless care and unconditional love for her mother. She has gone above and beyond what most of us would do for our parents. She has made the ultimate sacrifice and I want her to know how special she is, and what a blessing she is and how much my grandmother would want her to know this. Back to Gramita, she was a pistol. She was direct. If she liked you, she fed you. If she didn’t, well there was probably a good reason. One of my favorite memories of my Grandmother was when I was about 4 or 5 and she would tell me stories in Spanish. I would love story time with Grandma, often sitting outside on our orange swing in the front yard. I would get so cozy I would be falling asleep and when she thought she was in the clear, I would suddenly wake up and ask her to tell me another one. Eventually, she started running out of stories so she would buy me these beautiful books from Kress. I cherished my books and my story time with my Grandma. She instilled in me a love for reading and writing. When I was older, I would save my money from chores and she would take me to buy my books. My favorites were capirocita roja, “little red riding hood” and la gallina de los huevos de oro/ the golden goose. She was such a wise soul. She always had the right advise at the right time. She just had a common sense about her that is hard to describe, she just knew. She was sharp, she was witty and she loved to drink a tecate with you on a hot summer day because why would anyone drink alone. She taught me how to knit when I was about 8 or 9. We would sit together and knit for hours. I eventually made little baby blankets and “chambritas” and sold them to expectant teachers at school. We loved to bake together, and she helped me make bunelos, sopapillas and galletas. She made these delicious cinnamon cookies that melted in your mouth. The aroma in the kitchen was a sheer sign that Grandma was up to her baking tricks. I can go on and on… but you get the picture. She was good. Friendships, if you look around the room it’s clear. We are touched by the outpouring of love and support for our family. She cast a wide net for the lives she touched. Many of you, came to know her as Gramita, she was always there with us. Her loss is felt deep and wide. She is the last of her contemporaries but her legacy will live on in us and our children in our hearts and our memories. Thank you for being part of her life and joining us today. Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM with a Rosary at 7:00 PM, Tuesday, July 23, 2019 at Sunset Funeral Homes- East, 750 N. Carolina. Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, July 24, 2019 at All Saints Catholic Church, 1415 Dakota. Interment will follow at Evergreen East Cemetery.
To send flowers to the family in memory of Martina H. Chavira, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

4:00 - 9:00 pm

Sunset Funeral Homes- East

750 N. Carolina, El Paso, TX 79915

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Vigil/Rosary

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Starts at 7:00 pm

Sunset Funeral Homes- East

750 N. Carolina, El Paso, TX 79915

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Funeral Mass

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Starts at 10:00 am

All Saints Catholic Church

1415 Dakota, El Paso, TX 79930

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Cemetery

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