Maria Nydia Valery Solorzano's Obituary
Maruca was born in Granada Nicaragua on August 2, 1935 to Dona Gertrudis Urbina de Solorzano and don Alejandro Solorzano. She lived in Granada during her formative years and in her early teens the family moved to Jinotepe where she lived until she left Nicaragua. It was in Jinotepe that she made life-long friendships and where she met Enrique Valery would eventually become her husband. They married in 1955. They had 3 children, Katya and Enrique, who were born 1 year apart, and then Rene, who arrived 14 years after Enrique.
Maruca lived in Nicaragua until 1982 when she moved to Miami, Florida escaping the persecution that she faced by the Sandinista government. After 9 months in Miami, Maruca came to San Francisco where her sisters Elisa and Esperanza had lived for many years. On that same day, Enrique flew to Venezuela and both were separated until 1989, when he returned to the United States, and passed away that same year. While in San Francisco, Maruca began working cleaning the homes of many people whom she eventually came to see as her friends, more than her employers. Maruca worked very long and hard hours, but it was at this time in her life that she was able to discover the power that she had in her as an independent woman.
Maruca was an amalgam of strength and mischief… she was funny, “the life of the party,” and as many describe her, someone who could made you feel good. At the same time, she was stubborn and “her way was the law…” seldom changing her mind about anything that she felt strong about. Maruca loved to be surrounded by friends and family and being the center of attention but she was also shy and withdrawn at times–sometimes incredulous of the attention that she got. Unfortunately, in 2007 Maruca lost her son Enrique to lung cancer. This loss shook her to her to the core.
Maruca was a devout follower of La Virgen del Socorro (Our Lady of Perpetual Help) and Santiaguito (St. James) onto whom she placed her faith and trust. She was in the company of these saints until the end.
Maruca passed away in Hayward California on October 2nd. The night before she had spent quite a bit of quality time with her son Rene and had requested to make phone calls to people who meant a great deal to her, including her daughter Katya. She passed away the morning of October 2nd under the care of St. Francis Sr. Care Facility where, in a very short time, she caused and impact on the staff and made some good friends.
Maruca is survived by the siblings Elisa Cruz and Octavio Solorzano, her son Rene, her daughter Katya, her grandchildren Katya Lee Rodriguez-Vega and Rommel Enrique Rodriguez, her great-grand children, Horacio Alejandro and Daniela Vega, her son in law, James Baker, her brother-in-law, Horacio Cruz, and her-sister-in-law, Carolina Santos de Solorzano, and a litany of nieces and nephews whom she loved.
We will miss Maruca.
Private Visitation will be held at Chapel of the Chimes Funeral Home, 4499 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611 on Saturday, October 13th, 2018 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am in the Chimes Chapel. The Funeral Service will begin on the same day at 11:00 am in the Chimes Chapel. Reception will follow in the Memories Room in the funeral home from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm.
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