Lasting Memories
Mary Diaz Robledo
April 12, 1932-Oct. 23, 2015
Mountain View, California
Mary Diaz Robledo, lifelong resident of Mountain View and loving matriarch to three generations of family, died peacefully Friday, Oct. 23, 2015. She was 83. Mary was born April 12, 1932 in Brawley, California to Lucrecia Diaz and Jose Fierro. She was the third of five children – the center of the siblings. In 1937, at age 5, Mary moved with her family to Mountain View. Mary attended Whisman School and Mountain View High School. She also joined her siblings working in the rich orchards and row crops of the Santa Clara Valley, which at the time was regarded as the agricultural valley of California. At age 19, she married Manuel L. Robledo and immediately started a family of their own. Together they raised three children before divorcing in 1971. In the 1950s, during the transformation of Santa Clara County from an agricultural horn of plenty to an industrial based economy, Mary joined droves of local young women who left the crop fields for the assembly lines of a fledgling electronics industry that would evolve into today’s Silicon Valley. Mary made a career of it, working for Ampex Corp. and retiring from Hewlett Packard after rising to a supervisorial job. In more than 30 years on the job, she always gained the respect of her co-workers and made cherished friendships that continue to this day. Mary was an ardent fan of the San Francisco Giants. In the Sixties, she would get home from work and listen to the games on her transistor radio which was strategically placed in the kitchen window as she prepared dinner. During the Giants’ spectacular string of three World Series championships in the past five years, Mary seldom missed a televised game. She loved to watch her sons and grandson play baseball in the local youth leagues. On the day of the games, family dinner consisted of a hot dog and soft drink from the snack bar. In her hey-day at company picnics, Mary was the cleanup hitter with a big bat but slow feet. She would knock the ball far over the heads of outfielders only to reach first base, second on a good day. At home, Mary was an avid gardener. She was known for her roses and African violets but she had a brilliant green thumb – she could grow everything. She also was accomplished at crocheting and quilting. Over the years, Mary crafted enough slippers, hats and afghans to fill a boutique. Her crocheting was a labor of love. She made things for her children, grandchildren and friends. In retirement, she joined the “Knit-Wits,†a group of retirees at the Mountain View Senior Center that made dolls that were donated to children in need. Her compassion for others didn’t stop there. She was a regular contributor to charities devoted to children, seniors and veterans. Friends in need found a friend indeed in Mary, who opened her ears and heart to their woes and then offered consoling and sage advice. As a member of “The Greatest Generation,†Mary understood the values of sacrifice and hard work and reached out to lend a hand to many an underdog. She was more than a role model; she was an inspiration of strength, maturity and perseverance. She survived two near-fatal auto accidents in the 1980s and 90s, and two bouts with cancer that resulted in a double mastectomy. When her family lost their mother in 1974, Mary became the matriarch and remained so to this day. Of her many talents, perhaps the most memorable were displayed in the kitchen. Over the years, Mary perfected her recipes for Mexican dishes. Her rice was the stuff of legend, her chile Colorado, chile verde, tamales and menudo were exquisite. Her dear friend, Mary Milani, shared her recipes and secrets of Italian cooking, and Mary proudly and expertly turned out trays of lasagna, spaghetti, antipasto, etc. of her own. Mary’s biscotti cookies and pumpkin pies were incomparable treats during the holidays. Speaking of the holidays, Mary always looked forward to them year-round. She would decorate her home to greet the occasion – festooned in greenery and the smell of corned beef and cabbage at St. Patrick’s Day to bunnies and baskets at Easter to witches and pumpkins at Halloween and the browns, reds and greens of Thanksgiving and Christmas. At Mary’s, the colors and aromas of the seasons could always put people in a festive mood. Mary also flew the American flag in her front yard. She was equally proud of her Mexican heritage and American citizenship. She proudly and dutifully voted at election time. Mary was fiercely loyal to family and friends. Though her circle of friends was small, it was intimate and strong. Mary preferred quality over quantity when it came to her friends and relations. She was preceded in death by her mother Lucrecia Diaz, sisters Ignacia “Nacha Carrillo and Margaret “Maggie†Robledo; and brothers Cristobal “Chris†Carrillo and Guadalupe G. “Lupe†Fierro. She is survived by a daughter, Marie “Lola†Dolores (Phil) Blach; two sons, Richard “Rick†Luis (Chris) Robledo and Roberto Manuel (Patty) Robledo; six grandchildren, Andrea Olmos, Bernardo “Sonny†(Loretta) Olmos, Nicole (Ruben) Inocencio, Danielle “Danie†Robledo, Ricardo Alejandro “Alex†Robledo and Roberto Antonio “Rob†(April Meneke) Robledo; three great-grandchildren, Diego Inocencio, Sofia Inocencio (who shares her great-grandma’s birthdate) and Recklan Robledo. Mary is also survived by loving nieces, nephews and cousins. At her request, memorial services will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Nov. 2, 2015
Nov. 2, 2015
Oct. 31, 2015
Oct. 31, 2015
