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MARIA DE LA LUZ HERNANDEZ
Dec. 7, 1933 – June 1, 2025
MARIA DE LA LUZ HERNANDEZ obit

Maria De La Luz Hernandez, a devoted mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2025 at the age of 91. She was surrounded by loved ones who will continue to honor her legacy by living their lives with the same grace, generosity, and unwavering strength that she exemplified.

Born December 7, 1933 in La Barca, Jalisco, Maria dedicated her life to her family. She was known for her tireless work ethic, her steady faith, and her open heart. Whether it was through a warm meal, a listening ear, or a quiet act of kindness, she gave selflessly and without expectation.

Maria’s life was a testament to resilience, generosity, and unwavering devotion to her family. After moving to Tijuana in 1958, she settled in Oakdale, California, in 1970 with her nine children, and her husband, where they worked side by side in the fields, harvesting fruit under the sun, united in hard work and determination as a family. With a heart full of compassion, Maria would rise early each morning to prepare hundreds of burritos to feed fellow laborers before a long day’s work. She later took on demanding jobs, including working at Tri Valley as a sanitation and seamer operator and a poultry plant – often holding two jobs at once for seven years to help her husband provide for their large family. Her dedication continued with 12 years at Hunt-Wesson, where she eventually retired. Even in retirement, Maria found joy in traveling through Mexico with her friends and visits to the casino with her sisters and children. She remained a nurturing presence in her grandchildren’s lives, always giving, always loving. Maria raised her family with love, patience, and fierce devotion. She balanced life’s challenges with dignity and courage, teaching those around her the value of perseverance, honesty, and compassion. Her hands were rarely still, and her door was always open.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Manuel Hernandez.

Maria is survived by her adult children: Rosa Garza, Jose Hernandez, Bertha Shewmaker, Juan Hernandez, Imelda Mota, Lupe Velazquez, Arcelia Sihler, Maria Wilson, and Salvador Hernandez, who will carry forward her spirit and values. She was a proud grandmother of 24 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.

All who knew and loved her are welcome to attend and share memories of this extraordinary woman. A rosary will be held on Tuesday, June 17 at 5:30 p.m. at the Oakdale Memorial Chapel. The funeral mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 10 a.m. on June 18. The burial to follow the mass at the Oakdale Citizens Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church following the burial.

Though she is no longer with us, her legacy of love, faith, and service will live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to know her.

The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader

The Riverbank (Calif.) News

June 11, 2025