Obituary of Maria Jesus Ramires Aguilar

Maria Jesus Ramires Aguilar

“Nana”

Mass of Christian Burial for Maria Jesus Ramires Aguilar age 81, will be held at 11:00 AM Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at the St. James Catholic Church with Fr. Juan Carlos Sardinas, Deacons Loren Seely,  Buddy O’Brien and Jose Moreno officiating. Interment will follow at Sulphur Springs City Cemetery with Tony Abercrombie, Mark Maxwell, Mario Camargo, Tony Murray, Larry Powers, Jack Orwosky, Rigoberto Estrada, Issac Abrego, Luis A. Merren, Jr., Jim Thompson and Jose Louis Mireles serving as pallbearers.   Honorary pallbearers will be her beloved Sons and Grandsons.

Rosary will be held at 5 PM Tuesday, August 14th, at West Oaks Funeral Home. Visitation will follow immediately at 6 PM.  

Maria crossed over to her heavenly home at 6:30 AM Monday, August 6, 2018 in Cananea, Sonora Mexico with her brothers and sisters at her side.  Since July 4th, Maria was on a “Trip of a Lifetime” traveling through Arizona, California and Mexico. She was making joy filled memories with family and friends which she had not seen for many years. Maria's passing was a day after the 11th anniversary of her oldest daughter, Frances Aguilar Redding’s, death.    Her burial will be on the 64th anniversary of her marriage to Manuel Altamirano Aguilar.

Maria's life began in the beautiful Sonoran mountains of Mexico, specifically, the village of Bacadehuachi on the 6th of June, 1937. Maria was adopted by Antonio and Juana Ramires Moreno.  Biological parents Andres Cordova and Ramona Yanez.

Maria was raised in Villa Hidalgo, Sonora Mexico and then moved to Agua Prieta, Sonora.  There, she met and married the love of her life, Manuel Altamirano Aguilar on August the 15th 1954 in Agua Prieta Sonora. They had almost 30 years together when her dear Manuel preceded her in death on January 25th, 1984.  

On June 22, 1969 she and her family arrived in Sulphur Springs. Maria made a lifetime of memories and has left an imprint on the city.  Her legacy will live on within her natural family as well as the many lives which she impacted. The gracious ways of Maria left you feeling like a part of her family.

Maria was a woman blessed with many talents, with her passion being in cooking and feeding large crowds. This was the core of raising her beloved children by teaching them the importance of hard work, charity, and selflessness and filling their hearts with unconditional love and compassion.   

Her love for her Heavenly Father showed in her faithfulness and commitment to St. James Catholic Church. She played a vital role in establishing the Spanish Mass in the 1970’s. She would go out into Hopkins County with her husband and young children to visit dairy workers and their families, inviting and transporting them to church on Sundays. Maria’s faith was like no other.

She helped numerous families with doctor visits, school enrollments, work, funerals, and delivering children. Her services had no limits. She always encouraged and assured everyone that God would care and provide for them. Everyone knew that Maria would have an answer to their  problems and if she didn’t she would find it. She housed anyone in need of a home. Her words of wisdom and encouragement were sought by many. She became everyone’s “Nana”.

Maria was the owner operator of Café Sonora in Sulphur Springs for over 20 years.  The cafe was best known for "Mrs. Aguilar’s Tamales" which reached celebrity status when asked by the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas to make tamales for Hollywood actor Robert Duvall.  Maria was proud and honored of that opportunity.

She was a former member of the Hopkins County Health Care Foundation, former member of the Sulphur Springs Chamber of Commerce, St. James Women’s Guild, Grupo de  Cursillistas de Colores, Legion de Maria, St. James Parish Council, and Eucharistic Minister. In 1997, she was awarded the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year Award. However, her biggest honor was being mother to her 12 children.  

Having raised six boys and six girls there were countless games of football and baseball, band performances and other activities where Maria could be found cheering on the home team and supporting her children. She continued to support her grandchildren as they participated in various activities over the years. She loved her Wildcat Marching Band and was a devout New York Yankees fan.   

She is survived by a large and loving family including:

Five sons: Victor Aguilar and wife Dena, of Roseland, LA; Anival Aguilar and wife Patti, of Omaha; Oscar Aguilar and wife Remedios of Sulphur Springs; Tony Aguilar and wife Pauline, of Cumby; and Christopher Aguilar and wife Tiffany, of Seguin.

Five daughters: Ana Aguilar Shew and husband Andy, of Royse City; Maria Jesus “Jessie” Aguilar Redding and husband Joe, of Garland; Crimilda Aguilar McAdams and husband Johnny, of Waxahachie; Yadira Aguilar Caruthers and husband Jim, of Sulphur Springs; and Rene Aguilar of Sulphur Springs.   

35 grandchildren and 43 great grandchildren

Niece, Veronica Marks Gramno and husband Doug of Tucson, AZ

Aunt, Mercedes Campa of Hermosillo Sonora

5 brothers, 5 sisters and a multitude of cousins and nieces and nephews in Mexico, Arizona and California.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Manuel Altamirano Aguilar, daughter Frances Aguilar Redding, son Manuel Francisco Aguilar, brothers Antonio and Roberto “Betito” Cordova and sisters Blanca Marks and Evelia Cordova, grandson Autry Manuel Darden, and granddaughter Millicent Dean Aguilar.

The family request that, in lieu of flowers, memorial be made to Saint James Catholic Church Building Fund, 297 Texas Street, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482.