In congressional testimony in 2010, Dr. Molina said that those who attack climate science focus on the areas of uncertainty as if it were a house of cards, which collapses if one card is removed. He compared it instead to a jigsaw puzzle, which reveals its image even before all the pieces are in place. With global warming, he said, “there is little doubt that the overall image is clear — namely, that climate change is a serious threat that needs to be urgently addressed.

José Mario Molina-Pasquel y Henríquez was born on March 19, 1943, in Mexico City to Roberto Molina Pasquel and Leonor Henríquez Molina. His father was a lawyer and judge who served as Mexican ambassador to Ethiopia, the Philippines and Australia. His mother was a homemaker.

He was fascinated by science from his youngest days, as he wrote in a memoir that appears on the Nobel site: “I still remember my excitement when I first glanced at paramecia and amoebae through a rather primitive toy microscope.” He converted a little-used bathroom in his home into a laboratory for his chemistry sets, guided by an aunt, Esther Molina, who was a chemist.

His family, following their tradition, sent him abroad for his education, and at 11 he was in a boarding school in Switzerland, “on the assumption that German was an important language for a prospective chemist to learn.

He decided that of his two passions, chemistry and the violin, science was what he would devote himself to, and in 1960 he enrolled in the chemical engineering program at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. After studying in Paris and Germany, he began graduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1968. He received his doctorate in physical chemistry there in 1972.

That experience of studying at Berkeley was not just important to his development as a scientist, he would recall; he arrived in the wake of the free-speech movement, and political awareness was part of everyday life. He initially worked in the young field of chemical lasers, but he found himself “dismayed” to find that some researchers at other institutions were developing high-powered lasers to use as weapons.

"That was important,” Felipe José Molina, Dr. Molina’s son and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said in an interview. Thanks to Dr. Molina’s experiences at Berkeley, his son said, he felt driven to do work “that had a benefit to society, rather than just pure research, or things that could potentially be harmful.”

Samuel Magaña,
Mexican immigrant who rose to become L.A.'s tortilla mogul,
Died Sept 20, 2020 at 88
By Gustavo Arellano Columnist, Los Angeles Times
Sep 24, 2020

When Samuel Magaña decided to leave his pueblo in the Mexican state of Durango at 14 to work in the United States, his father put some coins in his hands and some advice into his mind:

If you go, you have to work hard. If you don’t work hard, no one will give you anything.

The teenager found that out almost immediately. Magaña had to hang from a railcar to evade Border Patrol agents and cross into the United States. He picked fruit and cotton in the Central Valley and took classes to learn not only English, but also how to write in Spanish, since his education back home had ended in the third grade.

Arriving in Los Angeles in the 1950s, Magaña became general manager of a Mexican food factory owned by Romana Acosta Bañuelos, who went on to become the first Latina to serve as U.S. treasurer. He used that experience to open a small market in Gardena with his wife that they named after their first daughter, Diana.

Over the next 50 years, the Magañas grew Diana’s Mexican Food Products into a $35-million Norwalk-based conglomerate that now includes five restaurants, two tortilla plants, a tamale factory and an industrial bakery. Their corn and flour tortillas are staples of small markets across Southern California; their delivery trucks — emblazoned either with a photo of a smiling 3-year-old Diana that serves as the company’s logo or a 1990s-era shot of an adult Diana with her brother and sister as they stand behind a cornucopia of their family’s products — are part of the Southern California landscape.

“He came to this country to make money, period,” said his daughter Diana. “And so that way, he could help his family but also others.”

Magaña died Monday of natural causes. He was 88.

“May his legacy endure among us as an inspiration to continue working on behalf of our fellow men, as he did in his life,” Marcela Celorio, Mexico’s consul general in Los Angeles, said in a statement.

Tensha, Sam Jr. and Diana Magaña appear in a 1994 publicity photo for Diana’s Mexican Food Products. (Courtesy of Diana’s Mexican Food Products)

Becoming a tortilla mogul happened to Magaña by accident. He had no restaurant experience when he began to work in 1950 for Bañuelos, who ran a Mexican deli near downtown Los Angeles at the time. Four years later, he helped her open Ramona’s Mexican Food in South Los Angeles, and stayed on as the plant’s general manager for the next 15 years.

At Ramona’s, Magaña met and married Hortensia Rodriguez, who convinced him that the two should open their own business. So in 1969, the young parents bought a market in Gardena and converted a back room into their living quarters. On weekends, Samuel drove to Tijuana to bring back as many products and ingredients as possible to sell to the growing Mexican population in the South Bay.

“Every morning before I would go to school, I’d see customers come in and talking to my parents,” said his daughter, Diana Magaña-Haagen. “They had that immigrant spirit you hear and read about. They didn’t have an education, but they were streetwise.”

While the market and restaurant flourished, what really took off were Hortensia’s homemade corn and flour tortillas. Former cooks told Samuel to sell them some to use at their new restaurants. Customers asked for dozens to go. Markets wanted packets to stock.

Remembering the large-scale skills Samuel learned at Ramona’s, the Magañas opened their first tortilla factory in Maywood in 1973. In addition to their own line, Samuel co-packaged products for private labels and created specialty items for clients. Among Diana’s customers: Taco Bell founder Glenn Bell, who commissioned Magaña to improve his taco shells.

“There is no other country like this country for opportunities,” Magaña told the Los Angeles Times in 1983. “Anybody who is determined to become successful can do it.”

And in a foreshadowing of Mexican food’s global popularity, Samuel and his family traveled to Japan as early as the 1990s to hawk their products; today, Diana’s says it’s the country’s most popular tortilla brand.

“My mom was the ambitious one with ideas,” said their daughter Tensha Magaña Berry. “My dad was the hard worker who took pride in being able to produce whatever the demands of the consumer.”

“There is no other country like [the United States] for opportunities,” Samuel Magaña told the Los Angeles Times in 1983. “Anybody who is determined to become successful can do it.”

(Rick Corrales / Los Angeles Times)

But even as the company grew, Magaña insisted his family stay with tradition. While competitors cut their masa with cheaper ingredients to reduce costs, the company continues to nixtamalize its own corn, resulting in a better, earthier flavor for tortillas and tamales. When Diana suggested that the family replace the photos of her and her siblings for a more contemporary look, her father refused.

“Dad said, ‘No, this is a family-run business,’” she said. “‘This is what people know us as. This is important.’”

Magaña worked at Diana’s until about two months ago, and spent his off-time on philanthropy. He and his wife provided funds to build a basketball court and a children’s park in his hometown of Amaculí, a learning center in Huntington Park and even helped Mexican immigrants transport their deceased family members back to Mexico for burial.

“When I envision him, what comes to mind is how employees would stop him in the parking lot and he’d talk to them all as long as they wanted,” said Sam Jr., now president of Diana’s. “He’d give them interest-free loans, or just relationship advice — whatever they needed. He never forgot his roots. He remembered that he was one of them, too.”

Magaña was preceded in death by his wife, who passed away in 2008. He is survived by his children Diana, 55, Sam Jr., 49, and Tensha, 45, and seven grandchildren.

“His biggest legacy wasn’t the empire but that we can walk around and meet people, and they just love us because of our father,” said Diana. “They just transfer that love to us.”

Sent by Sister Mary Sevilla,
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
marysevilla@mac.com

Milwaukee: Part of Milwaukee’s Latino community are mourning the loss of a longtime beloved doctor.

The Hispanic News Network reported Dr. Leonardo Aponte, 86, died Saturday, August 1, 2020 from complications related to coronavirus. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office listed the death as COVID-19 related and is still investigating the official cause.

Jorge Escamilla said he learned of the news Saturday. He worked side-by-side with Aponte for several years as a medical assistant. “I guess what a lot of people around the world are thinking right now -- just why?” Escamilla said. “His main focus was always to help the Latino community and more specifically the low-income people who don’t have access to healthcare.” The stories all told of the same characteristics.

“He treated me really well,” Mario Ramirez said, a former patient. “Like a friend.” Mariela Uribe grew up knowing Aponte and in recent years worked with him as a pharmacy technician. “Some Latinos are scared to go to the doctor, and he would reassure them it’s OK to be seen by him and that it’s not going to cost them an arm and a leg,” she said. “He would provide services at a minimal cost for them and reassure them everything would be OK.”

https://www.wisn.com/article/milwaukee-latino-community-mourns-loss-of-longtime-doctor/32663734#

https://hngwiusa.wordpress.com/2015/10/24/clinica-latina-serving-more-than-200k-patients-in-40-years-of-affordable-
health-care-service/

banner
Remembering Richard Elias
Presidio San Agustin info@tucsonpresidio.com

A temporary altar has been constructed to honor the late Supervisor Richard Elías. It is now open to the public at the Presidio Museum during its limited evening hours and community members are invited to bring ofrendas to add to it.

Richard Elías served Pima County as a Supervisor for eighteen years. His sudden passing on March 28th, 2020 at the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis was a shock for many. He was an advocate of the homeless, refugees, the environment, social justice and those of limited means.

Due to Covid-19, a public memorial event has not been held. In lieu of a memorial event, members of the community approached Supervisor Elías’s appointed replacement, Betty Villegas, with the idea of creating an altar that could provide his many friends and supporters a chance to mourn while also socially distancing. She agreed to the idea and approached Elías’s family who also agreed.

Originally intended to be placed in a public space near the Pima County Administration building, plans were revisited after recent downtown protests, and the Presidio Museum offered to provide a secure space for the altar.

Supervisor Elías was a friend and supporter of the Presidio Museum and its mission. He understood the value of sharing our history and culture and how that can encourage constructive conversations about a peaceful future. His loss is especially devastating right now as he knew how to bring people together to talk about cultural differences and how to learn and grow by understanding our past. We miss his leadership greatly during these conflicted times.

Supervisor Elias was a fifth-generation Tucsonan, a direct descendant of Tucson Presidio settlers and a member of a family that included many local leaders and luminaries. The Board and staff of the Presidio are honored to be able to house an altar for Richard. Friends and family are invited to add to the altar to say their good-bye. It is located outside in the Museum's Territorial Patio. The altar will stay up until after Dia de los Muertos and Tucson’s All Soul’s Procession, November 6-8th, 2020.

The Museum is currently open Thursday - Saturday, 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Admission is free through Aug. 29th. After that anyone may still visit the altar for free.

Presidio San Agustin del Tucson

196 N. Court Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85701
United States

Rudolfo Anaya,
'godfather' of Chicano literature, dies at 82
By RUSSELL CONTRERAS
Updated: June 30, 2020 09:23 PM
Created: June 30, 2020 01:38 PM

In this June 6, 2016 image, New Mexico author Rudolfo Anaya poses for a photograph in his home writing studio. Anaya, who helped launch the 1970s Chicano literature movement with his novel "Bless Me, Ultima," died Sunday, June 28, 2020, after a long illness. He was 82. (Dean Hanson/Albuquerque Journal via AP) | Photo: AP

RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) - Rudolfo Anaya, a writer who helped launch the 1970s Chicano Literature Movement with his novel "Bless Me, Ultima," a book celebrated by Latinos, has died at 82.

Anaya's niece, Belinda Henry, said the celebrated author died Sunday at his Albuquerque, New Mexico, home after suffering from a long illness.

Literary critics say Anaya's World War II-era novel about a young Mexican-American boy's relationship with an older curandera, or healer, influenced a generation of Latino writers because of its imagery and cultural references that were rare at the time of its 1972 publication.

In a 2013 interview on C-SPAN, Anaya said the idea of the novel came after he had a vision of a woman at the doorway of a room where he was writing.

"She said, 'You'll never get it right unless you put me in it'," Anaya said. "I said, 'Who are you?' She said, 'Ultima' ... And there it was."

The book's release coincided with the growing and militant Chicano movement that stressed cultural pride over assimilation. It also came as Mexican-American college students were demanding more literature by Latino authors.

From activists circles to community centers, the novel was shared along with Tomas Rivera's novel "... and the Earth Did Not Devour Him" and later the poetry of Lorna Dee Cervantes.

"I was completely transported the first time I picked up 'Bless Me, Ultima'," said novelist and poet Rigoberto Gonzalez, who was mentored by Anaya. "He was somehow able to capture the backdrop of our community and make us proud."

Anaya would go on to write a number of novels, including a mystery series featuring Mexican-American detective Sonny Baca.

Anaya used his fame to start a creative writing program at the University of New Mexico and opened up a retreat in Jemez Spring, New Mexico, for aspiring Latino writers.

Despite the popularity of "Bless Me, Ultima" on college campuses throughout the years, the novel was banned in some Arizona schools after a campaign by some conservatives who said the book promoted the overthrow of the federal government. Latino literary critics called those claims outrageous and launched a counter campaign to get Anaya's work and others by Latino authors into Arizona for community libraries near schools where the book was banned.

Anaya hosted a group of book smugglers led by Houston, Texas, novelist Tony Diaz at his Albuquerque home in 2012. He donated some of his own books and gave activists traveling on a bus his blessing.

The novel was made into a feature film in 2013. The National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque announced in 2016 it was working to make "Bless Me, Ultima" into an opera.

Born in the small central New Mexico railroad town of Pastura, Anaya came from a Hispanic family with deep roots in a region once colonized by Spain. He was one of seven siblings and the only male in his family to attend primary school. Years later he would say Spanish-speaking oral storytellers of his youth remained an influence in his writing as an adult.

Anaya graduated from Albuquerque High School and later abandoned his studies to become an accountant after enrolling in a liberal arts program at the University of New Mexico. While working on a master's degree, he met and married Patricia Lawless, a guidance counselor from Lyons, Indiana.

"I already had a couple of drafts of 'Bless Me, Ultima'," Anaya said in an interview with the Albuquerque Journal in 2010. "And again she just saw that there was something of literary importance there and encouraged me to keep going, to keep writing."

Lawless died in 2010.

In September 2016, Anaya was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama. Frail and in poor health, Anaya agreed to make the trip to Washington at the last moment and accepted his medal while in a wheelchair.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called Anaya one of the state's greatest artists and a seminal figure in literature.

"Through his indelible stories, Rudolfo Anaya, perhaps better than any other author, truly captured what it means to be a New Mexican, what it means to be born here, grow up here and live here," she said in a statement.
___

Associated Press writer Russell Contreras is a member of the AP's Race and Ethnicity team. Follow Contreras on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras
https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/famed-chicano-author-rudolfo-anaya-dies-at-age-82/5777286/?cat=500
Article shared by Michael A. Olivas
Wm B. Bates Distinguished Chair in Law (Emeritus)
University of Houston Law Center

"Sad news for us all."
~ Armando Rendón
Editor, Somos en escrito Magazine

"In 2013, Roger Ebert wrote, 'Although it was published only in 1972, Rudolfo Anaya's "Bless Me, Ultima' has achieved the iconic stature as such novels as "The Grapes of Wrath" and "To Kill a Mockingbird." Now comes a movie to do it justice." Rudy's book was one of my favorite books of all time. " "Que descanse en paz, Rudy. You were one of the great ones!"
~ Gilda Bloom-Leiva, Ph.D.

"Like everyone has said, he opened doors and I loved his literature. His main character in Bless Me, Ultima would have been the age of my grandfather's younger brother from the same area. Seeing our rural Chicano/hispano communities depicted as worthy of literary attention and having so many agree contributes greatly."
~Scott Russell Duncan / Scott Duncan-Fernandez
Senior editor, Somos en escrito Literary Magazine
www.somosenescrito.com
www.scottrussellduncan.com

"Yes, Rudy open the doors for so many and set such high standards. He will be missed. In sorrow."
~ Kirk Whisler
Latino 247 Media Group

"Dichosos somos los que conocimos ah Don Rudolfo Anaya. Lo vamos ah estañar mucho pero tenemos recuerdos de él. Qué descanse in paz."
~Juan Vigil,
Albuquerque, NM 87107

"Sad news indeed. So love Rudy and work, Bless Me Ultima, a favorite. He described my grandmother perfectly; we are same age, so the women of New Mexico of that time, prolific como las madres Teresa's. He, the respected scribe admired by the mass. Vaya con Dios!"

~ Dorinda Moreno

With great sadness, we share the news of the recent death of Rudolfo Anaya, a pioneer of Chicanx literature.

In 2011, Teatro Visión was honored to produce the West Coast premiere of Anaya’s stage adaptation of his beautiful novel, Bless Me Ultima. It was a great privilege to have worked with him and to have shared his work with our community.

We mourn his passing and we honor his memory and his legacy.

Descanse en paz Don Rudolfo Anaya.

An Example of Faith, Inspiration, and Courage

Gilberto Quezada
JQUEZADA@satx.rr.com

Hello Mimi,

I would like to share with you a personal note that was sent to me by Sharon Walling, the wife of a very good friend, George Walling, whose friendship started in the 1960s when we were both students at St. Mary's University. He is about two years older, so that would make him seventy-four years old. And, don't let his Anglo name fool you. He is as Hispanic as they come. He speaks fluent Spanish and grew up in a Mexican American culture in Cotulla, Texas. His mother was Mexican and his father was Anglo. Nonetheless, I thought the following note from Sharon was a perfect example of the strength of their faith in Almighty God and the courage to accept His divine will. I also found a source of inspiration in how George and Sharon are both facing daunting circumstances with God's blessings and a cheerful spirit. And as a corollary, I admire Sharon's commitment to their wedding vows--"...in sickness and in health, until death do us part."

I called George at home to wish him and his wife Sharon a blessed Easter, but nobody answered, so I left a message. A few days later, I received a nice Easter card with an enclosed typed letter from Sharon, which I would like to share with you:

"Thanks for calling! I have not been in touch with you in some time and wanted to give you an update. Since last September George has had a number of health problems related to his Parkinson's. He has a rare disorder called PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy). His symptoms are bad balance, difficulty swallowing, speech and vision problems. After two very bad falls at home and numerous other falls, he was in the hospital and rehabilitation during September & October. In late October he went to a long term facility because we felt it was the safest option. Thankfully, he has not had a fracture from any of the falls. His reasoning has also been affected by the disorder, so he needs 24 hour attention. He uses a wheelchair or, with assistance, he can use a front wheeled walker for a short time. He tires easily. I spend each day with him until his bedtime. The facility is very near our house.

Our daily lives have changed, but we have settled into a routine. Even with all his challenges, he is still in good spirits most of the time. Both daughters and their families have been very helpful and supportive. We are fortunate and grateful for our many blessings.

If you would like to visit or call him, please call or text my cell to arrange a day/time. He does not have a phone in his room. He is currently in scheduled therapy for speech, and I also take him to doctor appointments as needed. Thank you for understanding my tardiness. Please pray for him (& me)."

There is no doubt that their belief is an affirmation of my own belief that, with enough faith and trust in God, we are never alone. The spiritual lesson that I have culled from Sharon's message is, I believe, a lesson for all of us. Our trust and confidence in God must be firm and that is exemplified by the proof that God never left them alone as they are facing life's toughest challenges and choices. George and Sharon are not alone in their suffering. Her words are a reminder of how the Easter season gives us encouragement to rejoice in the Lord's compassion, to persevere in faith and to begin every day with hope.

Well, on Friday afternoon, May 17, 2019, I visited with both of them at the rehabilitation center. And, George and I had a delightful time of over three hours of laughter and reminiscing about our days as students at St. Mary's University during the 1960s. We had many classes together because his major and my minor in our degree plan was Health and Physical Education. Then, we recalled many fond memories when he went to work for the San Antonio ISD and I went to South San Antonio ISD. We kept in touch all these years. In our retirement years, we got together for lunch at Rita's Mexican Restaurant on Bandera Road, his favorite eating place. As I was getting ready to leave, his daughter Lucinda and her little boy stopped by to visit. The last time I had seen Lucinda was many years ago when she was just a little girl. I reminded her that her father referred to her affectionately, "es una pinga," because she was so active and hyper.

During my visit with George and Sharon, I noticed that she was a pillar of strength and support for him on a daily basis and always with a smile on her face and a cheerful spirit. I admired Sharon's commitment to their wedding vows--"in sickness and in health, until death do us part," and her courage to accept God's divine will. Both of them were facing daunting circumstances not knowing what the future would hold for them.

Lamentably, on Wednesday afternoon, April 22, 2020, I received an email from Sharon letting me know that the love of her life, George, had passed away on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. He was 77 years old. I immediately offered my most sincere and deepest condolences. When the obituary came out a few days later in the Porter Loring Funeral Home website, I signed the guest book. I ended my words of sympathy to Sharon and her family with this farewell note, "Good-bye my dear good friend George and we will meet again someday."

A couple of days ago, I received a nice card from Sharon with the following handwritten note: "Dear Gilbert, Thank you so much for your message on the Porter Loring website. It was very comforting to read the fond memories of him. You are correct. He will not be forgotten. Thank you, also, for allowing us to print your poem, "The Loss of a Loved One," on the cards. I have had numerous comments shared about how beautiful it was. Gratefully, Sharon"

Inside the thank you card, Sharon enclosed George's memorial card. I could not attend the funeral service because it was restricted to only close family members. Needless to say, I will treasure this memento as a token of our friendship.

~ Gilberto

The Redeemed Life of Ravi Zacharias:
How a Skeptic Became a Leading Voice for Christianity

by Wendy Griffith
May 20th, 2020

Well-known author, evangelist, and Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias died Monday morning, May 18, at his home in Atlanta, following a brief battle with bone cancer. He was 74.

Zacharias was a 17-year-old skeptic – an unbeliever, recovering from a suicide attempt – when he heard the words of Jesus in John 14:19: "Because I live, you also will live."

The truth of scripture gave Zacharias hope and he gave his life to Christ, promising to leave no stone unturned in his pursuit of truth.

The declaration of Christ in John 14 – "I am the way, the truth and the life" – became the cornerstone of Zacharias's ultimate mission as a Christian apologist and evangelist: to present and defend the truth of Jesus Christ that others may find life in him.

Across the decades, Ravi ministered on a global scale and even shared the truth of Jesus several times on The 700 Club. "How wonderful to know that when the Holy Spirit speaks to you and to me He enables you to understand yourself, to die to that self because of the cross and brings the real you to birth when you're crucified with Christ, nevertheless you live, not you, but Christ lives in you," he explained. "I think that's so unique that one cannot escape the ramifications."

Zacharias began preaching in India at the age of 19. Years later, he was invited to speak at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Amsterdam where he addressed 4,000 other speakers. It would be another turning point for him as he began to seriously consider the critical need of apologetics to remove the intellectual barriers that kept many from considering the truth claims of Christ. In 1984, he founded Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

Even to the end, Zacharias remained committed to his calling to represent the gospel of Jesus Christ through preaching, teaching and his popular radio program called "Let My People Think." He shared God's message with millions of people in more than 70 countries and wrote over 25 books.

In 2017, Zacharias's vision to establish an apologetics training center in the US was realized with the launch of the Zacharias Institute in Atlanta. He spent nearly 50 years advancing the Christian faith and addressing life's great questions of meaning, morality, and destiny with eloquence and grace.

During one of his 700 Club appearances, Zacharias and CBN President Gordon Robertson shared insights into the power of the gospel. Zacharias explained, "At the core of the Christian faith is the grace of God. If there's one word I would grab from all of that it's forgiveness, that you can be forgiven, that I can be forgiven and it's the grace of God."

https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/cwn/2020/may/the-redeemed-life-of-ravi-zacharias-how
-a-skeptic-became-a-leading-voice-for-christianity

Remembering a fixture of Heritage Museum: Betty Duran

By Jon Pompia
jpompia@chieftain.com
The Pueblo Chieftain
Education, health, Colorado State Fair
Posted May 17, 2020

The Pueblo Heritage Museum, like the city itself, occupied a special place in the heart of Betty Duran.

A founding member of the museum that houses a colorful recap of Southeastern Colorado’s vast historical legacy, Duran remained a tireless advocate and volunteer until May 2, when she died at the age of 90.

“She was volunteering, consulting and donating right up to the very end,” said Spencer Little, museum coordinator. “As every other day in Betty’s life, she went with courage into the next life, leaving a legacy that is very much alive at our museum today.”

When he took over as coordinator, Little said it was Duran who trained him on the day-to-day operations of the museum, which has been a Downtown fixture for decades.

“Her thoroughness, wisdom and passion for our regional history meant she was always on top of everything happening at the museum and the various heritage organizations she was a member of,” Little said, adding that Duran was active in the Fray Angelico Chavez Chapter of the Genealogical Society of Hispanic America.

“Betty served as a great inspiration for me,” Little continued. “Her enthusiasm was contagious. If it were not for Betty Duran, this museum would be completely different than it is today.”

With an obvious fondness, Eileen Tannich Gose said Duran was christened “Betty the Bulldog” for her tenacity in exposing the region’s history to a larger audience.

“Apart from being my amazing friend and role model, Betty was a valuable member of the Heritage Center Education Committee,” said Tannich Gose. “It was within the activities of the committee that she earned the name ‘Betty the Bulldog.’

“When Betty realized the Heritage Center should have a Spanish Legacy Trunk, she grabbed a hold of the idea — like a bulldog with a bone — and would not be discouraged until the Spanish Trunk was complete. She even brought in other members from the Hispanic genealogy society to help create and present the trunk.”

Another of Duran’s passionate projects was the “Women of Pueblo: Ladies of Many Hats” presentation.

“She artfully displayed the hats and looked lovely, even regal, in her mantilla,” Tannich Gose said. “In fact, she was always ready to help and learn new skills to promote the history of our area.

“I so admired her in every way. She always laughed when I said, ‘In 30 years I want to be just like Betty: only taller.’”

Debbie Mulay said Duran was a role model for all who knew her.

“She was quick to give praise and positive feedback, as well as keeping us on our toes with her pertinent suggestions and comments,” Mulay said. “If there was a need for the museum, she was always one of the first to offer to help.

“Her foresight and hard work helped shape the museum and her legacy for the organization will live on through all of the staff and volunteers. All of us owe her our gratitude for her many accomplishments: not only with the museum but all of the other organizations and lives she touched.”

Added Chris Ball, “Betty was a precious soul. I have never met another person who was so completely unselfish and pure of heart. Her loss is so much more than just a death. Her passing is a pure light that has been extinguished.

“Betty was so much more than just a person who cared: she was a force of nature and shall be missed by all that were privileged to know her.”

Little anticipates that Pueblo Heritage Museum, located at 201 W. B St., will reopen on June 1, with half-price admission throughout the month. In line with social distancing protocol, only a limited number of patrons will be admitted at one time.

A future exhibit will pay tribute to the 100th anniversary of Pueblo’s Boy Scouts of America council. The museum also is planning to be a part of “Damon Days,” a tribute to one-time Puebloan Damon Runyon, in the fall.

Beryl Ann Longino was born the only child of Ann Newton Longino and Burrell Andrew Longino in Lufkin, Texas on the 4th of February 1922. Orphaned at twelve, she was raised by her Aunt Margaret Longino. She graduated from Lufkin High School at 16 and attended the University of Texas at Austin where she was a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority. The first career for the hazel-eyed beauty from East Texas was at Harry Conover Modeling Agency in New York City. In 1943, while living at the Barbizon Hotel for Women, Lloyd Bentsen came courting. After six dates they were married in Columbus, Mississippi. She recalled, “Once she found Lloyd, she was home.”

B.A. lived with Lloyd’s family in McAllen until he returned from the service. For the next 35 years B.A. joined Lloyd on a new career path of their seemingly non-stop campaigns and public service including her husband’s run for county judge, four elections to the US House of Representatives, four elections to the United States Senate and Presidential and Vice-presidential candidacies. She campaigned energetically for Lloyd’s causes, for they were her causes, too. Her political acumen was underscored by her service as the National Democratic Committee Woman from Texas at the fractious 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

" I met Mrs. Beryl A. Bentsen when I worked for her husband U.S. Senator Lloyd M. BENTSEN , Jr. She was gracious, intelligent, approachable and classy, truly as the Senator put it his Best Asset.

When I learned of her passing, I was saddened. I felt like I lost a piece of my history.

Farewell Beryl Ann, heaven has gained a star. My deepest condolences to the family."

Sent by Wanda Daisy Garcia, eldest daughter of Dr. Hector P. Garcia
wanda.garcia@sbcglobal.net
May 9, 2020

"I first met BA when I served on Senator Bentsen’s Committee of 100. Mrs Bentsen was a dynamic, brilliant and charming woman whose personality was infectious. A woman of integrity with a strong morale compass, she stood for everything good and gracious about family and our country. Her enduring influence is a guiding light. May her memory be for a blessing always.

Life without BA I can’t imagine it. For as long as I can remember she has graced the world of generations of Johnson’s with her wit and wisdom, beauty and beneficence.

B. A. was always dependable to get any job done she committed to- in politics, business, family, friends and community. She did it all without ruffling any feathers. She worked hard but more importantly than that, she worked smart.

B.A. and Lloyd were like Lady Bird and Lyndon a hyphenated couple that were always better together than apart.

I have no doubt my Mother and Father were right behind Lloyd welcoming B.A. into Heaven and Daddy was probably saying “B.A. what took you so long I have a project I want you to chair.” I loved B.A. like all who knew her did. She mentored me too."

~Luci Baines Johnson
May 11, 2020

Diane Rodriguez, L.A. Theater Actress, Director and Producer, Passes Away at 68

Diane Rodriguez, an actress, director, playwright and producer who spent 24 years with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, died on April 10th in Los Angeles. She was 68. Rodriguez was appointed to the NEA's National Council on the Arts in 2015 and inducted into The College of Fellows for the American Theatre in 2018.

An encouraging member of the Los Angeles theater community, Rodriguez began her career in 1973 with Luis Valdez's El Teatro Campesino. For 10 seasons, she was a leading actress with the company, with which she toured nationally and internationally.

"Her power as an artist came from the heart, which she shared onstage as well as in life, by generating the collective spirit that creates theater," Valdez said in a statement. "The arc of her evolution as an artist and as a representative of the American theater will give hope and inspiration to new generations of theater artists." Rodriguez also co-founded the comedy troupe Latins Anonymous.

A native of San Jose, California, Rodriguez worked with the Center Theatre Group from 1995-2019, most recently serving as associate artistic director overseeing new play production and developing the new work of more than 75 artists, both playwrights and companies. Those plays included Straight White Men by Young Jean Lee, The White Album by Lars Jan, Venice Is Dead by Roger Guenveur Smith and Richard Montoya and How to Be a Rock Critic by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen.

"Diane was an incredibly disciplined artist, with equal talent as a writer, director and actor," CTG artistic director Michael Ritchie said. "But she was never more animated than when she was advocating for the work of other artists. The arts community mourns the loss of a leader and advocate for accessibility, inclusion and community."

Last year, Rodriguez directed the world premiere of Las Mujeres Del Mar for Playwrights' Arena and in 2018 Culture Clash's Bordertown Now at Pasadena Playhouse and Richard Cabral's Fighting Shadows at Inner City Arts. She directed for numerous theater companies, including Center Theatre Group, East West Players, South Coast Repertory, Pasadena Playhouse, City Theatre in Pittsburgh, Mixed Blood in Minneapolis, Actors Theatre of Phoenix, Victory Gardens in Chicago and Playwrights' Arena/Los Angeles.

Her own plays Living Large and The Sweetheart Deal premiered at Teatro Luna in 2012 and at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in 2017, respectively. And Rodriguez curated and produced, with REDCAT, RADAR L.A., an international theater festival, in 2011 and 2013.

She also worked for Mattel as the book writer for the Broadway-style musical Barbie Live!, which toured Asia and Latin America, and as a creative and cultural consultant for the Disney Channel animated series Elena of Avalor.

Survivors include her husband, Jose Delgado, owner of Pleiades Management and producing director of Ojai Playwrights Conference; her mother, Helen; niece Gabrielle; nephew Mario; and brother-in-law Gary.

Sent by Kirk Whisler, Executive Editor
Hispanic Marketing 101
kirk@whisler.com

OBITUARY

Ponciano Ramirez

November 18, 1922 – February 6, 2020

Ponciano (Ponce) Ramirez,
beloved husband and father
who helped pioneer radio-navigation services to the offshore oil industry, died February 6, 2020
in Houston, TX. He was 97.

Ponciano Artemio Ramirez II was born in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico on November 18, 1922 to Ponciano Ramirez I and Canuta Yzaguirre Mendez. Even though born in Mexico and spent his early school years there, Ponce’s family has resided on the Texas side since the 1700’s---their long-time presence in South Texas region predates the existence of the state of Texas and the USA. The Ramirez family ran a taxi service and a general store in Realitos, Texas and for a time owned businesses in Nuevo Laredo, too. Ponce graduated from Benavides High School, where as a trombonist he was among the leaders of the marching band and performed with a dance band on weekends led by his high school band instructor.

Ponce enlisted in the in the US Army (Army Air Corp) during World War II and became a highly skilled technician in radar systems, and worked as part of the crews that built and installed them in fighter planes. Coming from South Texas where Spanish was the primary language, he used the opportunity he had during his wartime experience to become fully bilingual---excelling at English to the degree that post-war he landed a job at a brand new company called Offshore Navigation, Inc. (ONI) For the next four decades, he participated in the growth and evolution of that enterprise which supported the oil exploration industry by positioning offshore expeditions using the most sophisticated radio positioning technology of the time---all pre-GPS. Due to his military security clearance, Ponce participated in the early validation tests of inertial positioning systems used on the Polaris class nuclear-powered submarines for the US Navy.

During his last decade at ONI, Ponce started a company, Core Tech Drilling, based in San Marcos, Texas with his son Sam. Core Tech Drilling provides geotechnical drilling services to the construction industries of Texas. He co-ran the company for 30years as its President, helping facilitate the growth and successof the business which continues today.

During his initial years at ONI he met Nora Gutierrez of San Antonio, a recent graduate (and valedictorian) of Our Lady of the Lake College and educator. They fell deeply in love, married in 1952, and spent most of their 33 years together in southeast Houston raising five children: Danny, Victor, Sam, Mary Jo (Josephine), and Jane. Their children richly benefited from their parents’ love of travel and culture: long drives to Mexico City, Acapulco, Guadalajara, British Columbia; living during summer vacation in places like Chincoteague, Virginia and Aberdeen, Washington (while Ponce built base stations for the oil navigation expeditions off those coasts); and regular trips to San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and South Texas to celebrate and strengthen family connections. On their own, Ponce and Nora traveled to Spain twice, relishing the history, cuisine and language.

Ponce deeply grieved losing Nora to cancer in 1987. He retired from ONI in 1990 after more than 40 years and finished supporting his youngest daughter Jane through her college years.

Then, in his early 70’s Ponce began another chapter in his life. He met Mary Gullo, fell happily in love again, married, and moved to Stafford, TX where Mary lived. They spent 25 years together, traveling all over Europe, socializing with their friends, and enjoying and loving one another’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Ponce possessed an awesome aptitude for building and fixing almost anything. He loved telling and listening to stories, especially the kind that ended with a perfect punchline. He was most fond of scotch on the rocks, a very dry gin martini (“just wave the vermouth over it”), and an occasional beer or two. He was infamous for corny jokes, “taking a short cut” when driving (meaning he was lost and didn’t want to admit it), collecting speeding tickets, and installing a racing muffler on the family car much to the immense chagrin of his pre-teen/teen offspring. He took a bath every single night (although they were really showers.) He had a great ear for jazz as well as for a range of other superb musicians and performers---Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Trios Los Panchos, Segovia, Louis Chevalier, Peggy Lee, and Herb Alpert, to name a few. He had an astoundingly high threshold for physical pain coupled with a distaste for hospitals and a relentless frugality, which resulted in his passing kidney stones on three different occasions on his own.

He preferred fun-loving, honest people with a solid sense of humility. He will be deeply missed.

He is preceded in death by his parents, wife Nora/mother of his children, sister Bertha Barrera, brother David Ramirez, and son Danny.

He is survived by his wife Mary, children Victor (Heidi Ramirez), Sam (Amy Ramirez), Mary Josephine (Betto Arcos) and Jane (Mark Diebold); grandchildren Angie Ramirez (Brian Allmand), Jared Ramirez (Sonia Herrera), Samantha Armbruster (Bonner Armbruster), Emily Ramirez (Chase Maness), Agustín Arcos, and Nora Diebold; and great grandchildren Edie, Albert, Lucy Allmand and Dorothy Armbruster.

Go to the site for family photos:

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/houston-tx/ponciano-ramirez-9029752

Sent by Walter Herbeck walterhole@gmail.com
Who writes: This obituary is an example of how a Mexican born man became a great USA citizen. Ponce was my wife's first cousin. May be rest in peace! Walter.

Rudolfo Anaya, 'godfather' of Chicano literature, dies at 82 By RUSSELL CONTRERAS Updated: June 30, 2020 09:23 PM Created: June 30, 2020 01:38 PM

OBITUARY

Ponciano Ramirez

November 18, 1922 – February 6, 2020

Ponciano (Ponce) Ramirez, beloved husband and father who helped pioneer radio-navigation services to the offshore oil industry, died February 6, 2020 in Houston, TX. He was 97.

Rudolfo Anaya,
'godfather' of Chicano literature, dies at 82
By RUSSELL CONTRERAS
Updated: June 30, 2020 09:23 PM
Created: June 30, 2020 01:38 PM

Ponciano (Ponce) Ramirez,
beloved husband and father
who helped pioneer radio-navigation services to the offshore oil industry, died February 6, 2020
in Houston, TX. He was 97.