Dolores Lola (Hernandez) Holton |
| Posted 2021-05-11 by mhenderson |
| Published in Yuma Sun on May 9, 2021 - Yuma, Arizona - Our mother, Dolores Lola Hernandez Holton, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, in Sacramento, California. She was 91 years old. Lola was born in Yuma, Arizona, on March 26, 1929, the seventh of the ten children of Genaro and Candelaria Hernandez. She graduated with Yuma High School's class of 1948 and lived and worked locally until she met her future husband, our dad, Jack Roger Holton. They were married on July 29, 1950, in Yuma, where they resided until the birth of their first child, Donna Marie, in 1951, then moved to Montclair, California, where Cynthia Lea, was born in 1954. In the early 1960's, our family relocated to Lakewood, California, where Mom was proudly a stay-at-home mom while raising us girls. Mom and Dad remained there until April 1978 when they moved to Angels Camp, California, to become the co-owners of the Western Auto Supply Store there. In 2003, after 25 years, they closed the store and retired to their quiet life on three acres. While they had built a new life in Angels Camp over the years, Lakewood always held a special place in Mom's heart and she carried many fond memories with her. Our mom always made friends easily, with her warm kindness and ready smile. She was an active member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Angels Camp and a member of the choir, as well as supportive of many local youth and community endeavors. She was a wonderful cook and often shared with friends who stopped by the store to say hi during lunch. Whether it was pizza, sandwiches, leftovers, something special (which leftovers often were!), watermelon, or lemonade, she made people feel welcome. One of her favorite things to do was step across the street to the mall - the thrift store - to shop for great finds. She had the advantage of seeing the truck pull up through the store front window and was often there soon to peruse the new arrivals, often scoring some treasure. At home, she enjoyed hiking up to the top of the hill above their house, accompanied by her large dogs, for the beautiful overlook view of New Melones Reservoir and surrounding hills. Life is about making memories, Mom would say, and she would especially enjoy visits from our family on holidays, her or Dad's birthdays. There were many years of annual Calaveras County Frog Jump events attended by our families, when Mom and Dad closed the store for an extra day to participate or enjoy time visiting. When they were small, she participated with our kids in the annual children's parade held on Friday of frog jump weekend, putting themed costumes together and proudly herding her little ones down Main Street. Her grandkids made her eyes sparkle, and she made many fine and unforgettable memories with us, always sharing our favorite dishes with her loved ones. She was simply fun to be around and often just cracked us up. She loved to dance, and if you didn't dance, she might could get you outta your chair with her infectious energy. Her loved ones always looked forward to her birthday phone call singing Las Mananitas, which she made without fail. There are great stories from her Yuma family of her jitterbug days before marriage. Sadly, no video exists, but the stories are wonderful. She was proud of her Mexican heritage, of being American, and she cherished the right to vote. Mom had suffered a stroke prior to Dad's death and spent her last years in nursing care facilities in Sacramento as her condition gradually declined. We were warmed by the visits and sharing from family during her illness. Although during her final days, in the midst of the Covid virus, visitors were not allowed, we are grateful to the good people of Hospice for accommodating occasional FaceTime visits. Mother was preceded in death by our dad, who passed in December 2018, and one infant grandson, Coby Kai Trask of Honolulu, HI, who tragically drowned in 2012. In addition to her daughters, she is survived by three of her nine siblings: Richard Hernandez of Yuma; Maria Luisa Guinta of Glendale, Arizona; Gregoria Delfina Nunez of Tucson. She also leaves behind five grandchildren: Jesse Wilkins (Sandra); Sarah Trask (Travis); Garrett Wilkins (Danielle); Nicholas Brown; Carmen Brown, and nine great grandchildren -- Marley, Carmen, Kaia, Brody, Reef, Ryder, Lolani (Lola), Paislee, Hunter -- and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews on both sides of her large family. Our family plans to hold a private memorial. Happy Mother's Day, Mom. We are forever grateful for you and will celebrate you always... God blessed us all with you. Please sign the guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/yumasun |
Note: These obituaries are transcribed as published and are submitted by volunteers who have no connection to the families. They do not write the obituaries and have no further information other than what is posted within the obituaries. We do not do personal research. For this you would have to find a volunteer who does this or hire a professional researcher.
Questions About This Project?