Ernestina Reyes Banuelos, 70, passed away on Dec. 25 in San
Jose, following a lengthy illness.
Ernestina Reyes Banuelos, 70, passed away on Dec. 25 in San Jose, following a lengthy illness.
She was preceded in death by her father, Refugio C. Reyes, her husband, Luis Banuelos and her brothers, Refugio Reyes, Jr., Crespin Reyes and Phillip M. Reyes.
She is survived by her son and his wife, Richard and Suzy Banuelos of Gilroy, and her grandchildren, Rafael and Isabella Banuelos of Gilroy. She is also survived by her sister, Mary Reyes Garza of Watsonville, her sister in law, Nellie Reyes of Morgan Hill, her aunts, Amparo Acosta of Gilroy and Victoria Valdivia of Hollister and many nieces, nephews and cousins in this area and the Imperial Valley.
Mrs. Banuelos was born and raised in Westmoreland in the Imperial Valley of California. At a young age she put her education aside to raise her siblings and care for her father. In 1950 her family settled in Gilroy after working for many years as migrant farm workers. Mrs. Banuelos worked as a nurse’s aide at Wheeler Hospital and as a line worker at Gentry’s. She later returned to school to become a teacher’s aide.
In 1971 she began a 28-year career with the Gilroy Unified School District as an Adult Education Aide, Title VII Aide, and as a School/Community Liaison at Elliot, El Roble, San Ysidro, Glen View, Rucker and Las Animas Elementary Schools, at Mt Madonna High School and at the OASIS Independent Study Center. She counted her school colleagues as some of her best friends and enjoyed helping the students.
She was a long-time member of St. Mary Catholic Church. She taught Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes at St Mary Church, was a Cub Scout den mother, served on numerous committees for the school district and community, and was a member of the Latina Coalition. She loved reading, gardening and cooking.
Although she faced many difficult challenges in her life, she inspired others with her enduring positive attitude. She was loved and respected by her family and friends and will be dearly missed.
Her family has requested that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to the Ernestina Banuelos Memorial Scholarship Fund at Washington Mutual Bank, Gilroy, or to the Diabetes Society of Santa Clara Valley, San Jose.
Vigil Service will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, at Habing Family Funeral Home. Services will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home and then proceed to St. Mary Church for a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at St. Mary Cemetery.
