ForeverMissed
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Her Life

Lifestyle

August 13, 2012

She was always surrounded by people, those who she brought joy to with her great sense of humour, and those in need who she loved to help. 

Her door was always open for a visiting friend or if anyone needed a short-term (or long-term) place to stay. When her sister Estela became blind, she did not hesitate to bring her into her home and made her and her two toddler children part of her family, loving them as much as she did her own children.  They lived with her until the two children, Javier and Gilberto, became adults.

Her sparkling clean home was always with the smell of fresh flowers and good food and always with the sound of laughter.  Her children considered it a wonderful home.

She never felt beautiful, however she was complimented all her life. 

Calm, patience, goodness and a sense of justice were among the virtues she upheld. She could give what she had without thinking twice and never expected to be thanked.  But people would never forget her and she was loved and appreciated for all she did. She was a great woman with a big heart.

She never talked much about religion, however she venerated God and faithfully prayed everyday. She was devoted to the Virgin of Guadalupe and Saint Joseph. 

In her last years, she loved to do crosswords (in French!), to go out to eat, to people-watch, to make people laugh, and to love.

Hobbies and Interests

August 13, 2012

When Marianela was a child, her father needed to practice music and he asked his children to be quiet during that time.  Her mother invented a structured sign language of her own, which she and the children used to communicate throughout the day.  Later on in life, Marianela’s mother became deaf and her children used this sign language to communicate with her.

Marianela and her brothers and sisters took turns attending her father’s concerts.  It was a grand event for the child who’s turn it was to attend and included buying new clothes and shoes to get dressed up for the occasion. When Marianela attended, she always learned the names of the concert pieces and their composers.

In her teens, Marianela was an accomplished softball player, and became the Captain of her school’s softball team.  As a mother, she loved being involved in her children’s sports including baseball, football etc.

Having the need for a social life, she formed a women’s club though men soon wanted to integrate into the group. The club members remained members and friends to the end of their lives.  The social group lasted more than 35 years.

Marianela loved to travel and explore opportunities to admire nature and the earth’s wonders.  She visited many places in Mexico, the USA and Canada.

Marianela was also an avid card player.  She was proficient at “Pula” and “Canasta” and was jokingly referred to as “The Shark”.  For over 40 years she played cards every evening after dinner with her daughter Irma Elizabeth and friends if they dared to join the game.

Employment

August 13, 2012

Marianela worked at the medical laboratory until she got married.  Throughout her life, she started and ran several small businesses including a butchery shop, a furniture store, a paper store, and a bookstore.

Education

August 13, 2012

Marianela studied in Mexico City where she excelled in Mathematics and Sports.   At 17 she began to be trained to be a Laboratory Assistant at Ital-Mex Laboratories and became the Confidence employee and representative of the laboratory.

Family

August 13, 2012

Marianela’s mother was Enriqueta Basurto and her father, Jose Maria Perez.  Her paternal grandparents were Efrain Perez and Adelina Morante.  Her maternal grandparents were Constantino Basurto and Enedina Martinez. 

She had six brothers: Evaristo, Jose, Miguel, Alejandro, Ricardo y Eduardo and two sisters: Angelina and Estela.  Marianela was the second youngest child.  Her father worked in the Navy for the Mexican Armed Forces as a musician, and was the Director of the Symphonic Orchestra of Mexico.

Marianela married Gersson Riquelme on April 13, 1936.  They had two sons, Gersson (deceased in 1985) and Hector Alejandro (deceased in 2010), and one daughter, Irma Elizabeth (deceased on December 14, 2009).  Their eldest son Gersson lived in Canada and never married.  Their son Hector Alejandro (known as el Guerro), lived in Mexico, was married to Maria Eugenia, and they had three children:  Alejandro (Alex), Paul, and Ivonne.  Their youngest child, Irma Elizabeth, married Marcel Potvin on March 27, 1965 and they lived in Canada (they divorced on June 13, 2007).  They had one daughter, Gina Elizabeth who married Fraser Smith on October 2, 1999, and they had one daughter (Shaye Morrison in 2004) and one son (Ronin Madden in 2007).