Mary Etta Avila

Mary Etta Avila, affectionately known as “La Guerra”, was born on September 12, 1959 in Springfield, Missouri. She was adopted by her loving grandparents Sherman and Lois Pierce. After her (grand)father passed, Mary and her (grand)mother relocated to the west coast at age five, where they settled in Santa Rosa, California. Mary attended Kawana Elementary School in her youth, and in 1971 became the Spelling Bee Champion.

Later while at Lawrence Cook Jr High School, Mary played in the marching band and ultimately became the Drum Major. She ran and won for Class President against a man who would become her best friend of 50 years, Alejandro De La Torre (Loli).

Mary was introduced to her first love, the Mexican culture and Spanish language, by her 7th grade Spanish teacher, Mr. Oseguera. Her love of the Mexican culture led her to become a foreign exchange student in Mexico City during her junior year at Santa Rosa High School.

After high school graduation, Mary attended Santa Rosa Junior College and earned her AA. After completing her degree Mary’s desire to help those in need combined with her passion for the Latin culture led her to work in migrant education. She helped provide numerous services to migrant families struggling to succeed due to the existing language barrier.

In the summer of 1979 while selling tickets for the KBBF radio station dance celebrating Mexican Independence Day in downtown Santa Rosa, Mary met the love of her life, Tomas Avila. He, like so many others, was captivated by her beauty, grace and love of the Mexican culture and Spanish language as her own. The love they shared for each other grew powerfully and they wed on New Year’s Eve in 1981.

Tomas and Mary welcomed their firstborn, their daughter, Crystal Alexandra, in 1984. Five years later their beloved son, Adam Tomas, was born in 1990. Mary’s love for her family was undeniable. Everyone knew that the family’s passion and devotion to each other was and still remains, unbreakable. She raised her family and began teaching Spanish at Pioneer Middle School in Hanford, Ca. In the year 2000, she fulfilled yet another dream by becoming a Spanish Court Interpreter where she continued working as a State Certified Court Interpreter for the last 21 years.

Mary devoted her free time to many hobbies, including reading, shopping and finding and restoring old furniture. However, attending live concerts was her greatest thrill. Her knowledge of music spanned over six decades listening to artists ranging from Elton John to Hank Williams Jr, Willie Nelson to Dr. Dre, Juan Gabriel to Smokey Robinson. For those lucky enough to have talked with her about music, it did not take long to realize she was a fan of Prince and Aerosmith above all others.

She was fortunate to travel all over the world, from the east coast to the west coast, Mexico to Europe, and as long as there was pizza nearby, she was feliz. Mary was a culinary master in the kitchen and the love she poured into her cooking was evident in all of her dishes, especially her homemade flour tortillas for her Viejo.

Although she adopted the Mexican culture as her own, she never forgot her Irish roots and spoke many times about her desire to visit the island from which her forefathers emigrated.

No matter what interest she was pursuing, Mary was never too busy to lend a hand, provide a shoulder to cry on, or simply be an ear and listen for any who needed her, bound by blood or otherwise. There was no game, match, recital, practice, event or extracurricular activity missed; her family could always count on her presence in the crowd. She was a generous wife, loving mother, and those she called friends knew they had a friend for life.

Tomas and Mary made the perfect team, prospering in a successful and loving marriage for 40 years. The bond they shared was unique and esteemed by all. Mary was most at peace with a wrinkly bulldog in her lap, except for Pearl Poovey who loved to run amuck.

Mary is survived by her loving husband, doting daughter, and treasured son. Contributions in Mary’s name can be made to The Fresno Bully Rescue, where she adopted multiple dogs in need of a safe home.

We will always carry her memory in our hearts.

Feel free to join live stream of the service https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86441009483

Meeting ID: 864 4100 9483

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.tinklerfuneralchapel.com for the Avila family.