Delia came of age during the Great Depression and grew up quickly, showing an enterprising and generous nature that went far beyond her years. As a young child, she earned money by raffling small toys or pieces of candy to children in the neighborhood. (“I would buy something for a nickel and sell chances to win it. I always made a profit.”) At 10, when her young siblings were hospitalized with malaria, she took three buses to bring fresh bread and homemade soup so they wouldn’t have to eat the “grey mush” served at the hospital. As a teen, she made sure that any boy who wanted to take her for a Sunday drive brought her little sisters along for the ride. And if she dined out, she never failed to take home a treat for her widowed mother to enjoy.
These traits would become defining characteristics in a long and remarkable life. In August of 1945, she fulfilled a longstanding dream of immigrating to the United States, eventually becoming a Naturalized Citizen. Her first stop was New York City, where the excitement of V-E Day – just two months before – was still in the air. It was a great time to be young, single and living in New York. She found work at the Eastman School of Business, teaching Spanish to professionals with commercial interests in Central America. She loved life in the city, but her family in Panama was never far from her thoughts. From the day she left, she wired money each month so her mother would have a nice place to live. (She would do this faithfully for the next 50 years.) At Christmas time, she traveled home, suitcases laden with gifts from the United States for her siblings and their children.
The next chapter would see her sponsoring her younger sister, Letticia, on her own immigration journey. They settled in the Bay Area where Letticia married and raised three children who regarded Delia as a second mother. While Letticia settled in the suburbs with her family, Delia fell in love with San Francisco, or as she called it, “My City.” There she met the man that would be her husband, Francis (“Frank”) Ellsworth. Together, they built careers – Frank with the V.A. and Delia as head bookkeeper and eventually Office Manager for one of San Francisco’s most prominent law firms. She was known for her integrity and strict adherence to the rules. Uncompromising in her views about right and wrong, she won the respect of the lead attorney, who eventually had her handle his family’s personal finances as well.
One of the most colorful aspects of Delia’s life was her love of travel. Through their working years, Delia and Frank took vacations all over the world. They toured Russia, India, Africa, and Europe, as well as Central and South America, documenting their adventures with beautiful slide photos that they loved to share. After retirement, they spent an extended period in Mexico, where Delia studied Spanish Literature at the University of Guanajuato, and in Italy where she became fluent in her mother’s native language.
Through this entire period, she continued to take an interest in the needs of her siblings and their families. She financed college educations, paid for travel abroad and wrote countless checks to help her loved ones. When people would comment about her generosity, she was quick to remind them that she “was no martyr” and took care of herself as well. She and Frank loved dining out in the city, taking short trips to Calistoga and other nearby points of interest and indulging in one of her favorite pastimes: Shopping. She was frugal, but had a keen eye for quality. Whether she was buying for herself or as a gift, she would examine each garment meticulously before making a purchase, then take it home and evaluate it again. Her impeccable style and fashion sense were well known to friends and family. And she never tired of people pointing it out!
Delia was cultured, well-spoken and dignified. She proudly noted that her accomplishments were “based on merit”, not advantage. She was a wonderful conversationalist with an elegant command of the language who preferred broad, philosophical topics to everyday gossip. She loved to linger after a fine meal and indulge in a good chat while Frank waited at the door, keys in hand. His polite “Time to go, dear” was met with a wave and a request for another cup of tea. Frank always kept a supply of reading books in his car.
As Letticia’s kids grew, Delia was as proud as any mother, watching them graduate, launch careers, marry and have children of their own. She was invested in their success and always there to lend support – material and otherwise. They marked every special occasion and celebrated every holiday together as a family. The bond continued into the next generation, where she formed beautiful relationships with each of their children. And so it was, that Delia Carolina Ordonez Ellsworth came to be known simply as “Auntie.” It was more than a moniker. To family, friends, in-laws and acquaintances, it was the only name they knew. She wore it proudly and rightfully so. For there was none better.
Delia was preceded in death by her parents, 13 siblings and her beloved husband. She is survived by nieces and nephews – too many to name – in California, Texas, Panama, Argentina and Italy.
Rest in Peace, Auntie. Your story will not be forgotten.
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