January 24, 1940 - April 18, 2023
Maria Paz Fajardo Garibay, 83, of Stockton, CA, peacefully passed away in the late hours of April 18, 2023.
She was born to parents, Nieves Fajardo and Maria Canela on January 24, 1940 in Sayula, Jalisco, Mexico. Maria was married to Cecilio Chavez (deceased) and had two children. Later, years after Cecilio's passing, she met and married Isaac Garibay (deceased) when living in Mexicali Baja California and while working as a waitress in Calexico, CA. After a few years living in Mexicali, she decided to move to Lodi, California in the mid 1970's where eventually all of her children would join her.
Essentially as a single mother and separated from her second husband, Maria worked extremely hard to provide for her children and to be a mother. For more than half her years, Maria did it all including working long days in the fields and later at the Lodi Cannery. When the children were grown, she decided to stop working and enjoy the home life. During those years, she watched the family continually grow to 21 grandchildren, and over 10 great grandchildren.
She enjoyed traveling, taking care of her plants, the ocean, doing her hair and nails, and all the simple things life had to offer.
Maria was direct, had a great sense of humor, she was always happy, an amazing cook, and a joyful soul. She was giving and kind; went out of her way to still make all of her children and others happy. Her smile was contagious and her generosity was one of which many people that came to know her, eventually came to love her. In her life, although she endured much loss, and hardships, nothing slowed her down but in fact she exemplified the meaning of a hard-working and dedicated mother even more. After a number of years of being a naturalized citizen, Maria never gave up on her dream and in 2015, she became a United States citizen.
The family is mourning her absence but grateful Maria is now at peace and with the Lord. She will be deeply missed but remembered with great love by her entire family, friends, and all of those who had the privilege of knowing her. She is in God's Kingdom and watching over her entire family as she did on earth.
Maria is survived by her children Luis Chavez, Magdalena Chavez Gonzalez, Fermin Garibay, Ruben Garibay, Juan Garibay, Angela Garibay, Brissa Garibay, Rocio Garibay, and Benjamin Serratos but also by her grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
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