Isabel (Mejia) Navarro (1932 - 2010)

Born 2 Mar 1932 in Hidalgo, Texas, United States

Wife of Miguel Navarro — married 15 Jul 1948 in Hidalgo, Texas, United States

Died 7 Feb 2010 at age 77 in Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States

Biography

Isabel Mejia was born on 2 March 1932 in Hidalgo, Texas, United States to Adrian Garza Mejia and Guadalupe Guerrero. ^[1]

Isabel married Miguel Navarro on 15 July 1948 in Hidalgo, Texas, United States. ^[2]

In 1948, after their marriage, Isabel and Miguel, moved from southern Texas to West Michigan. They worked in Montague on a farm harvesting celery and lettuce and earned 60 cents an hour. In 1976, Miguel started El Matador Tortilla Chip Company in Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan, United States. Isabel worked there for 30 years. ^[3]

Isabel passed away on 7 February 2010 in Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan, United States ^[4] following a long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. ^[5] She is buried at Resurrection Cemetery in Wyoming, Kent County, Michigan, United States. ^[6]

Isabel's obituary reads: "Isabel Mejia Navarro, aged 77, of Grand Rapids, passed away on Sunday, February 7, 2010.

I am going home to join my parents, Guadalupe and Adrian Mejia; brother, Eugene Mejia; my beloved son, Miguel A. Navarro; and grandchildren, Miguel F. and Serenita Navarro.

I am leaving behind, to keep moving forward and be strong, my loving husband of 61 beautiful years of marriage, Miguel Navarro; my daughters, Maria (Martin) Peña and Linda Navarro; my eight grandchildren, Tino Peña, Celina Navarro, Raquel (Markus) Putnam, Martina (Jim) Ross, Kristina Vasquez, Ricardo Pérez, Rey Pérez and Venisa Navarro-Fitz; 15 great grandchildren, Marissa, Aliciana, Andrew, Nicholas, Joel, Kevin, Evan, Gabe, Luke, Viviana, Xavier, Ricky IV, Isaias, David and Lilliana; brothers, Jose Mejia, Pedro (Lupita) Mejia of Texas, Daniel (Mary) Navarro, Charlie (Pat) and Chris (Sheri) Lara of Grand Rapids; sisters, Marcella Muller of California, Maria G. "Lupita" Mejia Topp, Naomi Mejia (Gordon) Wood, and Dora Garcia of Texas and special friend, Kenneth Grabe of Alabama and so many other families and friends.

Isabel was a graduate of Western University, which led her to teach at Hall Elementary School. She was also a business woman, at El Matador for 30 years, with her family. She was a simple woman, with simple requests. She will be missed and cherished forever.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Church, 225 - 32nd Street SW, Wyoming with Fr. Steven Cron presiding. Interment Resurrection Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet the family at Matthysse-Kuiper-DeGraaf Funeral Home, 4031 Clyde Park SW, Wyoming, on Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. with a rosary being held at 7 p.m. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to St. Jude Children's Hospital, The Santa Claus Girls or Camp O'Malley." ^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ Isabel Mejia in the Texas, U.S., Birth Index, 1903-1997, Ancestry.com. Texas, U.S., Birth Index, 1903-1997 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.
2. ↑ Miguel Navarro in the Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1837-1965, Hidalgo County Clerk's Office; Edinburg, Texas; Hidalgo County Texas Marriages. Ancestry.com. Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1837-1965 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.
3. ↑ "Founder of El Matador Tortilla Chip remembered as 'pioneer' in West Michigan Hispanic business community." Grand Rapids Press, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 29 February 2012, posted on MLive: [1].
4. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #85988085
5. ↑ "Founder of El Matador Tortilla Chip remembered as 'pioneer' in West Michigan Hispanic business community." Grand Rapids Press, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 29 February 2012, posted on MLive: [2].
6. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #85988085
7. ↑ Obituary for Isabel Mejia Navarro, Grand Rapids Press, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 9-10 February 2010, posted on MLive: [3].

• Esshel Majia in the 1940 United States Federal Census, Year: 1940; Census Place: Mercedes, Hidalgo, Texas; Roll: m-t0627-04062; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 108-1. Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.