Eva de la Garza

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Eva de la Garza, it summarized in every way she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.

Eva was born on August 11, 1922 at home in Esqueda, Sonora, Mexico. She was the daughter of Salvador and Soledad Zuzuarregui. Raised in a small agricultural/mining town of Esqueda, Sonora, Mexico, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.

As a young girl, Eva was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Eva was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Eva was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Eva also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Eva was raised with eight siblings. She had Herlinda, Salvador, Rafael, Carlota, Francisco, Adam, Abel, and Heriberto. Eva was constantly involved in activities with her family. Eva and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

Growing up, Eva was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. She was content to entertain herself. Eva was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, she was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything she did as a child, Eva was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around her. Eva took part in a number of activities as a child. In her spare time she liked embroidery and crochet.

Eva enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Eva was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Eva was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. Eva attended elementary school in Esqueda, Sonora, Mexico. She then attended middle school in Guadalajara, but did not finish school. Eva enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers.

Most folks would say that Eva was shy until they got to know her. Those who were privileged to know her well learned that she was a solid, good friend. Eva was reluctant to generalize about people, and she based her friendships on her personal experiences. Because of this, Eva best trusted those people that she truly knew. She was concerned about how those around her felt, and she always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. She could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that she made, Eva kept. Later in life, she became friends with Apolonia Estrada.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Eva. It was as if Eva naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Eva disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

Eva was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Eva was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Eva was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Eva was blessed with eight children, five daughter Ema, Raquel, Susana, Bibiana, Emilia, and three sons Andres, James, and Albert. They were also blessed with 21 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren, Marcos, Carlos, Angela, Andrea, Karin, Noelle, Heather, Zeth, Josef, Jesse, Adam, Brad, Monique, Monica, James, Esteban, Shannon, Mc Kenna, Jennifer, Christina, Sergio.

Her primary occupation was homemaker. She was a homemaker for 55 years. Eva was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Eva had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems.

Eva liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Eva's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Eva preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were sewing. Eva was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading about her favorite pastimes.

Due to her excellent organizational skills, Eva was a welcome addition to the professional and community organizations to which she belonged. Eva could bring established, successful methods to the discussion table, along with a generous helping of common sense. Eva was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details. Throughout her later years, Eva was an active member of the East side democratic club.

Eva had Zorrita, a Silver Fox, who was her best friend for 3 years. Her family was rounded out by her coyote, raccoon, coatimundi, parrot, cats, dogs, and mockingbirds. Eva was as loyal to her pets as they were to her.

She had taken the time to learn about her various options and chose her course wisely. Her new life involved relocating to Claremont/Upland. In retirement, she found new pleasure in sewing. Even in retirement, Eva continued to stay in touch with her old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered her.

Eva passed away on December 15, 2010 at Upland, California. Services were held at Oakdale Memorial Park in Glendora, California. Eva was laid to rest in Oakdale Memorial Park.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Eva was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Eva was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Eva de la Garza was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Eva. She will be missed.