June 5, 1927 - September 25, 2016 She was a wife for 41 years, a mother to 15 children, grandmother to 51, and a great-grandmother to 27. María Bonifacia García was a family matriarch who created life in more ways than one. María was born on June 5, 1927 in El Monte, California, to José Esiquio Escobedo Carrillo and María Secundina Barrios Perez. She was the only sister to her seven brothers. The family lived in San Gabriel until she was about 5 years old. That is when her family was forced to leave the U.S. under the Mexican Repatriation Movement of the Great Depression. They moved to the town of Jerez, Zacatecas in Mexico -- where María remained for the next several decades. At the age of 17, María met the love of her life - the very handsome and religious Juan García Del Rio. He heard that she came from a good family and she would see him ride around town on his white horse. They would only eye each other during Catholic mass, until one day he passed her a love note. They married on August 30, 1945. It was during the signing of their marriage license that she learned he was 52 years old. She was 18. María and Juan split their time between Jerez and their ranch, La Labor. They had 15 children: Bernarda, Juan, Soledad, Lisa, Elías, Patricia, Rosario, Rosa María, José Silverio, Margarita, Gerardo, Celina, Luis Humberto, Pablo Arturo, and Rebecca. Juan would tend to the farm animals and crops while María focused on raising their children and sending them to Catholic school. María and Juan's oldest children slowly began moving to the Los Angeles area in the 1960s. By 1974, Juan and María returned to Los Angeles with their youngest children and settled in Huntington Park. She remained focused on making sure that her young children continued with their education since she never had that opportunity for herself. María and Juan were married for 41 years before she became a widow. Juan passed away at the age of 93. María was only 59 years old. Up until her own passing 29 years later, María would talk about him very lovingly and with tears in her eyes. Juan had an mutual intense love and respect for María. She was his queen and made sure she was always treated as one. Between 1969 and 2006, María and Juan had 51 grandchildren from their 15 children. So far, they have 27 great-grandchildren and one on the way. Including their loving sons- and daughters-in-law, and their grandkids' partners, the family grew to over 120 members. She was "Abuelita" to everyone. María was a very happy, social, and religious person. She took pride in the beautiful flowers, green plants, and the fruitful avocado tree in her yard. She enjoyed family parties, jigsaw puzzles, and playing the slot machines at the casino. She loved her Mexican music, specifically Rancheras and Tambora. She especially loved traveling back to Jerez and La Labor, and reconnecting with everyone she grew up with. There she was known as "Mariquita." She celebrated every birthday with a party that included the entire family, plus her nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters-in-law, and lots of friends. María's faith in God came first. She attended weekly mass and always encouraged her family to pray. She was very grateful to God for all the blessings in her long life. In that same spirit, Maria was generous and caring to people in need. She would prepare burritos for her family and for the needy people of the community. She continuously donated to organizations that served orphanages and needy families in Mexico. She also provided and cared for her beloved cousin, Margarita. On September 25, 2016, María went to heaven to join her husband, parents, grandson (Victor), daughter-in-law (Aurora), and four of her brothers. She was 89 years old. She is survived by all her children and their respective spouses, 50 grandchildren, all 27 of her great-grandchildren, and her brother, Basilio. They really treasured their Mamá, Abuelita, and Hermana. In her spirit, please pray for one another, be kind and generous to those in need, and put a dollar in the slot machine.