Dolores R. Garcia (Lola) was born to Monica and Pedro Rodriguez on February 03, 1930 in Madera, CA. Both of Lola’s parents migrated from Mexico to the United States in search of a better life.
Lola, as she was known to family and friends, grew up and attended school in Madera, CA. At the age of 18, she met her true love and began raising a family of her own. She lived a long life of 91 1/2 years and peacefully passed away on September 05, 2021 in Modesto, CA
We gather here today as a family to mourn the loss of a sister, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. The last few weeks have been incredibly difficult. We are completely heartbroken because our family has lost its matriarch…our queen. It is quite a shock and in many ways very surreal. The pain runs deep and we are now left to face a world without her grace and wisdom. There is no one that could ever replace her and not a single individual could even begin to compare. She had an extraordinary memory. Whenever she told us a story about her life it was so detailed that we could actually visualize it perfectly. She was funny and quick witted but more importantly forgiving and accepting of everyone. She was kind, thoughtful, and compassionate as well as empathetic and strong. If anyone struggled she never hesitated to help and always put others before herself. It was her nature to care for others and in many ways it became her purpose. There is a phrase that goes, “To know her, was to love her” and that is exactly how we feel. She was elegant without trying and her presence was sacred to those that knew her. We once witnessed her arrive to an 80th birthday party and within minutes there was a line of people down the center of the room all waiting to greet her. It was such an incredible sight. Family meant everything to her. She was very proud of her enormous family which includes 14 children, 42 grandchildren, 67 great grandchildren, and 9 great great grandchildren. She always kept count and would glow every time she could add another name to the “family tree”. She probably knew the birthdays of every single one of us. After all, she was the heart of the family (the glue) and her passing has been a devastating loss for everyone that was fortunate enough to know her. We love you Lola (Mom) (Gram) (Sister) (Aunt). We hope we’ve made you proud. It has been a tremendous blessing to have you as long as we did (although we would have loved more time). Thank you for raising, guiding, inspiring, and loving us. If it wasn’t for you, so many of us would not be here. We miss you terribly and that will never change but your legacy will continue in the stories we share and the memories in our hearts. It is true that our family has lost a queen but it only means that heaven has gained an angel. We love you to heaven and back…forever and always. God Bless.
Rosary followed by a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on September 21, 2021 starting at 12:30 p.m. at St. Joachim Catholic Church, Madera, CA
Interment to follow at Calvary Cemetery