Family Histories:

THE MARGARITA VASQUEZ FAMILY

October 4, 1995

Dear Father Sherry:

I want to share with you my heartfelt feelings, my great joy and happiness to be able to be part of this wonderful anniversary celebration of our beautiful Catholic Church - the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of Florence, Arizona.

It is with great pride, love and dignity that I praise our Lord Jesus Christ for the blessed one hundred and twenty-five years of our Church, which the Lord has given to the people of our community.

This Church, which stands for our Faith, the House of the Lord, where we can come to praise him, give Him thanks for all our blessings, a place for joyful and peaceful adoration with Jesus and the Virgin Mother.

In the fifty-eight years since I have been here in Florence, I have become very fond of this Church. I have many good memories and sentimental feelings that I shall always cherish.

I was married in this Church, to my late husband, Joe Vasquez. We celebrated our twenty-fifth and our fiftieth wedding anniversaries in this Church. Our four children were baptized and received all their sacraments from this Church. Two of our children were married in this Church. My husband was born here and raised around these Church grounds. My husband was baptized here and his mother and grandfather were also baptized here. Many of his family members were parishioners of this Church in the early 1890’s. There were several other members of the Vasquez family who were also parishioners of this Church at one time or another, through the years. At the present, only one member of the Vasquez family lives here in town. He is a nephew to Joe. By marriage, I am the only other Vasquez member living here in this town of Florence.

This is why our Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is so special to me. It’s like part of me, my sanctuary, my sacred refuge for prayer and Eucharistic Adoration.

This Church, which our forefathers built with the same love and faith, so many generations ago, still stands tall and beautiful. So it is with so much feeling, love and honor that my family members and I salute and congratulate our Church. We give you thanks, Dear Lord, for this blessing and this beautiful heritage. May it hold up for many, many more ears to come.

Love, and May God Bless Us All.

Margarita Vasquez

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