Juanita Silvas Chavez, a life-long resident of Sonora, passed on March 11, 2017.
Juanita was born August 24, 1923.
She was the daughter of Faustino and Clara Silvas.
Juanita had a difficult life. By five-years of age, her mother passed leaving her in the care of her only brother Agustin Silvas who was killed during WWII. She was raised as an only child, by her stepmother Lupe Silvas, also a life-long resident of Sonora.
At fifteen years of age, she married Sonora native Toribio Rodriguez Chavez.
They were married for 55-years and had seven children, six boys and one girl. Five of the children were born at home in “La Casita.”
Juanita was a mom, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother to all family who called her Nana Juanita.
In addition to raising her family she worked full time for many years for Dorothy Dulnick owner of the Sonora Courts and at Thorp’s Laundry. She also served as a volunteer at the Sonora Senior Center delivering hot meals to the elderly.
Juanita instilled in her children a strong sense of caring and community advocating for human civil rights and inclusion. She was a Chicana warrior.
She is survived by her beloved children Toribio Jr., David, Augustine, Dennis, Elida, Gigo and Eloy (Ruben). All, with the exception of one, live in California. Toribio Jr. is commonly known as T.C. the barber hair cutting man in Sonora.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at Love Funeral Home Chapel.
A burial followed in Sonora Cemetery.
