BETTY JIMENEZ-LOUIS ALBERT PADILLA FAMILY

Around the years 1913 and 1914, my parents, Benicio and Mercedes Jimenez, left their homeland in Mexico and came to Arizona. My father's job skill was masonry construction. He moved the family many times to follow the jobs available in Tucson, Buckeye and Mesa. Then jobs got scarce and he decided to move on. His final move was to Florence, Arizona. The home was on Bailey and 11th Streets. It was a long Sonoran adobe structure with many rooms and doors. This is the home I remember the best.

The older children, Mariana, Maggie, Benny II, and Joe were later joined by Celia and Andy. The older members began to leave and marry. Mariana married Alberto Mariscal, but later divorced him and married Al Holt. Maggie married Andronico Ramirez, and then, after his death in 1938, married Manuel Rivera. Benny married Clara Valdez, Joe married Josie Cruz, Celia married Hidalgo Feliz and Andy married Guadalupe Parra.

In the family of nine, I was the seventh child, born August 17, 1924. Ruben, born on October 15, 1926, and Rudolph (Mickey), born on April 27, 1930, and I were the younger children. I recall many memories and warm thoughts, especially one of my father's rituals. After a day of hard work, he would wash up and sit at the kitchen table and wait for my mother to set a steaming cup of black coffee, to which he would add cream and a little sugar. He would call us, the younger children, to him, and he would then open his lunch pail and take out the sweet bread my mother had packed for him. He would break the bread into three pieces and then gave us a few teaspoons of his coffee with the sweet bread.

Honesty, respect and discipline were strong factors with my father. Disobedience was not tolerated and pressure was applied to the seat of your pants, if necessary. A wrong committed outside the home was personally attended to by my father. The offender would be confronted by the person wronged. Whatever punishment was meted out, my father stood by his children, but would also intervene if matters were serious and it was necessary. He loved the little ones so much. He died on May 13, 1937.

La Iglesia, The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was nearby in our neighborhood. You attended Mass, confessions on Saturdays, and Catechism without any excuses (illness was the only excuse), and Father Basilio Delgado would also check with parents when children were absent.

Family gatherings and holidays were fun and joyous. My sisters, brothers, and other children got together to play games and to eat the delicious meals our families had prepared. Christmas was beautiful with Midnight Mass, tamales and gifts. Most gifts were home made and only a very special gift was store-bought (with much sacrifice).

My mother kept the family happy and well fed, as she was an excellent cook. Besides her family, she helped raise grandsons, Lindy and Raul Mariscal, and a cousin, Robert Herrera, who didn’t want to move to Tucson with his family and wanted to go to school in Florence. She also was very generous to those who came to her door for help or food. We warned her many times about the danger, but she would say, "I feed the poor and The Lord will take care of me." She served as a mid wife, in the community, and worked for Pinal General Hospital for ten years and, in 1955, retired. She also cared for children placed in her home by Social Services. A family from Casa Grande was placed, but due to her age, she could not keep them all. Victor Mesa, born May 8, 1945, was the only one she could keep. She later adopted him and he became a member of the Jimenez Family.

My father would have been real proud of his sons, nephews and other relatives. Andy and Lindy served in the Marines during World War II. Raul, Joe, and Mickey served in the Army and Ruben in the Navy. After the War, when Peace was declared, family members came home and resumed their lives. Ruben married Joy Lee Barrett from Blythe, California.

On December 21, 1947, I married Louis Albert Padilla in the Assumption Church, officiated by Father Joseph Jacques. Louis is the son of Rita Wolven and Emeterio Padilla. Louie’s family has deep roots in Florence because both families were born and raised here during the farming era in 1863. Louie also served in the Marines (The Pacific) during World War II. His brother, Henry Padilla, died in 1945 while home on leave. Louie has two sisters, Lydia Marguerite Padilla Dempsey and Ophelia Padilla. Louie has worked with all the priests whenever needed and has been available to do repairs. He also built the wrought iron fence around the rectory and the Gila Chapel.

Louie and I have seven children, Henry, Edward, John, Lydia Ann, David, Cecilia (Ria) and Kathy. Henry works at the City of Goodyear, in Arizona, as their Information Systems and Technologies Director. Edward lives in Florence and works as a phlebotomist for Central Regional Hospital. He has two children, Kimberly (Van Haren) and Nathan Andrew(Skiles) Padilla. He also served in Viet Nam in the Marines. John lives in Florence and works as an assistant to Joe Montez, in a refrigeration and air-conditioning business. He has three children, Amy, Rebecca and Dominic. Lydia married Cy Henry and lives in Apache Junction, where both work as teachers. Cy also coaches sports. They have four daughters, Elizabeth, Jenny, Patricia and Tara. David lives in San Antonio, Texas, and is a doctor and director of the Gonsaba Medical Center. Yolanda is a nurse and works in the hospital nearby. They have a daughter, Jena Nicole, a stepdaughter, Emily Ehler and Yolanda's two boys from a previous marriage, Chris and Junior Hernandez. Cecilia (Ria) works for Pinal County Planning and Development Services. She has two sons, Jeff and Michael Moore, and they live in Florence. Kathy married Mike Borquez. Mike works for the Central Arizona Project and travels to different sites on the job. Kathy works as a secretary for Litchfield Properties. They have twin daughters, Elissa and Amanda, and live in Phoenix, Arizona.

Louie and I have been active parishioners of the Assumption Church. We have helped with all church functions as volunteers and whenever we are called. I began teaching in 1963. Sister Cyril and Sister Dolorette gave me and other teachers our instructions. With Mike Berger’s help, I taught a mini series of classes in my home. I assisted Julia Celaya with First Communion Classes, Family Program and also taught 2nd, 4th and 7th grades, plus CYO. I am now assisting Fred and Julia Celaya with Baptism and Marriage Classes.

God has been very good to me and my family. May He continue to bless our future generations with faith, love, peace and health. We are also looking forward to the 125th Anniversary Celebration of the Assumption Church.

Betty Jimenez Padilla

Louis A. Padilla

Return