Obituary of Francisca Avitia
Francisca Chavez de Avitia, age 86, died peacefully on Sunday, 19 November 2017, at her home in Shasta Lake City, CA, in the presence of the love and prayers of her family. Francisca, the daughter of Frumencio Chavez and Micaela Navarro, was born on 6 May 1931 in the small farm community of San Julian near Santiago Papasquiaro in the northern state of Durango in Mexico.
Known as Quica, Francisca left Mexico in 1955 to visit her sisters Esperanza Ramirez in Biggs, CA, and Magdalena Palacio in Marysville, CA. Eventually, her parents and her sisters Guadalupe Santana, Maria Minnick and Dolores Lesser would all immigrate to the US and settled in the Gridley, CA area. In Biggs, she met and fell in love with Rosalio Avitia, a friend of her brother-in-law. They married in 1958 at the Sacred Heart Church in Gridley and began a beautiful life together of 59 years of marriage.
Gridley and the Sacred Heart Church became the center of Francisca’s life in the US. Her seven children were born in Gridley and all were baptized at Sacred Heart. During the 21 years that Francisca and Rosalio lived in Gridley, she was a pillar of the Mexican American community. She was an active member of the Guadalupana Society of the Sacred Heart and made sure that her sons served regularly as altar boys. In 1979, Francisca moved to Shasta Lake City as a result of Rosalio’s job and became a parishioner at St. Michael the Archangel Mission. But, she never lost touch with her family and friends in Gridley. When Francisca and Rosalio celebrated their 50-Year Golden Anniversary in 2008, of course they returned to Gridley and Sacred Heart.
She was a loving mother to her children and godchildren, and a second mother to the children of her closest friends. When her own children would bring their friends to her home, she took great joy in embracing them with big bear hugs and cooking Mexican feasts for everyone. For many young people, her kitchen table was the first place that they had the pleasure of trying different Mexican dishes with homemade tortillas and the hottest hot sauces imaginable.
Francisca is survived by her husband Rosalio, her children Maria, Javier, Miguel, Benito, Rosalinda and Rogelio. Her 17 grandchildren are Diana Ward, Adrian Castañeda, Maribel Castañeda, Javier Avitia, Carlos Avitia, Miguel Avitia, Jesus Avitia, Yesenia Avitia, Tatianna Avitia, Alexis Avitia, Alicia Avitia, Ana Avitia, Andrew Bush, Veronica Bush, Daymon Bush, Anika Magallanes and Micaela Avitia. Her 8 great grandchildren are Maricella Andrade, Ezmeralda Andrade, Lily Ward, Rosie Hogan, Francisco Marquez, Lucas Bush, Samuel Bush and Noah Bush. She is also survived by her siblings Esperanza, Magdalena, Maria, Dolores and Miguel Chavez. In her final moments, she was blessed to have her children and her sisters Maria and Dolores by her side.
Funeral services will include a Memorial Service and Rosary from 2:00 to 4:00 PM on Sunday, 26 November, at Gridley-Block Funeral Chapel. On Monday, 27 November, a holy mass will take place at 10:30 AM at Sacred Heart in Gridley, followed by a graveside service at Gridley-Biggs Cemetery.
Arrangements entrusted to Gridley-Block Funeral Chapel 530-846-2138.