Maria Ayala Leon, born in Zacapu, Michoacan in November 1928, was a cherished member of our family. Her parents were Guadalupe Ayala and Petra Arevalo. She was the youngest of four children; two sisters and a brother predeceased her. Maria spent her early years in Zamora, Michoacan, where she attended elementary school until the third grade. As a teenager, she traveled with her parents to Texas during the years following World War II, when the United States experienced a significant demand for affordable labor. In the late 1940s, Maria and her parents journeyed from her hometown to the U.S. border, with Maria fondly recalling how she carried her dresses on hangers to keep them wrinkle-free. She had no idea that she was headed for hard labor in the fields of Texas, where farm laborers were paid two dollars a day for picking cotton.
Maria met Jesus in Texas, whom she married in Brownsville, and a few years later they decided to go to California in search of better opportunities. In 1955, they ended up in Selma, California, in the heart of the rich agricultural Central Valley, where they picked cotton, vegetables, and fruits, particularly grapes that dried in the sun to become raisins. In the early 1970s, Maria and Jesus became small farmers when they used their savings for a down payment on a 20-acre farm, purchased at a discount from a small farmer who had employed Jesus for years. They lived on that property for over 60 years.
Maria's greatest joy was her family, to whom she imparted the values of education and cultural heritage. Maria embraced her role as the matriarch, offering strong guidance and discipline to her children, and was the driving force behind her family's achievements. Maria was an extraordinary individual whose kindness and warmth touched everyone she encountered. As a mother, she was our guiding light, always present with love, support, and a comforting homemade meal. Maria Ayala Leon leaves behind her loving husband, nine children, 22 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.