Beatriz De Hoyos Sanchez

Beatriz de Hoyos Sanchez, affectionately known as Bea, born on December 19th, 1932 in the town of Poth, Tejas passed from this world on the morning of November 23rd, 2022, at the age of 89 in San José, California.

Beatriz is one of sixteen children born from Pablo de Hoyos and Brijida Burciaga de Hoyos of Floresville, Tejas. Beatriz is preceded in death by her parents, Pablo and Brijida De Hoyos; siblings, Antonio De Hoyos, Elvira Silva, Pablo De Hoyos Jr., Luis De Hoyos, Francisco De Hoyos, Juan De Hoyos, Ofelia Estrada, Virginia Aguirre, Jesse De Hoyos, and Guillermo "Willie" De Hoyos.

As a young girl Beatriz grew up with her brothers and sisters on the de Hoyos’ family ranch in Poth, Tejas. As a young woman Beatriz met the love of her life Julian Sanchez and they courted for a year before marrying in June of 1954. In the year of 1959, they moved and first settled in the small town of Coyote, California, south of San José. Here Beatriz and Julian began working in the fields picking prunes, green beans, strawberries, walnuts, and other seasonal crops.

After moving to downtown San José, Beatriz found new work inside a bakery until she left for what would be her longtime career. Beginning in 1970 Beatriz began working inside the Del Monte Plant #3 until she retired at the age of 62 in 1995. After retirement, Beatriz became a part of the Del Monte Oral History Collection and had her experiences of working for the Del Monte Plant recorded by local historians and published in the 2009 book Mexicans in San José (Images of America).

Beatriz’s favorite things to do included dressing up, going to bailes with Julian, writing in her journal, sewing quilts, playing loteria with her family, watching the evening television including her novelas and Caso Cerrado. She loved cooking for her family including her legendary albondigas soup and her morning fried eggs. She enjoyed traveling to visit family and treasured her visits to Tejas for family reunions to visit her parents and her sibling’s families. One of her last trips included going to Las Vegas as she loved to try her luck on the slot machines.

Her family is grateful for the time spent with her during her 89 years of life. They acknowledge the love, hard work and sacrifices she committed to raising all her children. We will all miss her love, guidance, laughter, great sense of humor, and independent spirit.

Her family is forever grateful to Beatriz’s caregivers during the last year of her life, daughter Lydia Jacobo, Beatriz’s sister Mary Lou Gonzalez, and nurses Tuey, Eugene, and Silvia for their loving at-home care.

Beatriz is survived by her children Lydia Jacobo and her husband John, David Sanchez and his wife Ruth; her siblings, Anita Castellano, Jose De Hoyos, Arturo De Hoyos, Clara Garza, and Mary Lou Gonzales; her six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, three godchildren; and her beloved dog of over ten years “Pretty Girl”.