Obituary of Delfina Valero Meza

Delfina Valero Meza passed away peacefully on July 15, 2023, at her home surrounded by family and friends; she was 93 yrs. Old. She was known to family and friends as Grandma D.

Delfina was born in Bakersfield, CA, she was the third child to parents Presiliano Dominguez Valero and Maria Mungary Valero. Delfina is preceded in death by her parents, husbands and siblings Jacinta, Maximino, Luther, Henry and her children Maximino, Fernando, Richard, Daniel, adopted children Raymundo and Christopher. Delfina grew up in Bakersfield, and lived in several different parts of the State including Arbuckle, Fillmore, Princeton, Healdsburg, Alexander Valley, Sebastopol, and along the Russian River before settling in Chico.

Delfina was married three times and blessed with ten children, 30 grandchildren, 53 great grandchildren and 18 great-great grandchildren what a legacy she leaves. Her first husband Alejandro Carrillo died in the Korean war; two children Ruth and Alejandro; her Second husband Elias Estrada; five children, Connie, Max, Fernando, Gloria, and Richard; her third husband Daniel Luna Meza; three children, Raymundo, Valerie, and Daniel. She adopted and raised two of her grandchildren Raymundo and Christopher. Delfina had many struggles raising her 10 children often as a single parent, her inner strength carried her through these difficult times. She always stressed the importance of family, of being together and supporting one another. She was not one to judge and believed in second chances.

Delfina worked many types of jobs in her 93 yrs. She provided child care at the military base in Bakersfield, and as a maid at the hotel near the base, she worked in the fields through-out California, in Oregon and Washington picking cotton, prunes, apples, and strawberries, as a waitress, as a teacher’s aide at Chapman Elementary, a translator and secretary for Migrant Ed, and Head start, as a Spanish medical transcriptionist, she trained to be a nurse. She served on the Board of Directors for Head Start, Migrant Ed and Chico Community Children’s Center.

Delfina enjoyed gardening and could often be found in her yard with her plants and flowers, she had a love of reading that she passed on to her children, she loved vintage cars having owned several in her time, she loved camping and road trips, she also enjoyed attending Pow Wows celebrating our Native American Heritage.

Delfina is survived by her children Ruth, (Art) Lopez; Alejandro, (Diann Day) Carrillo; Connie Rios; Gloria, (Ron) Balch; Raymundo Meza; Valerie, (Govinda Jaya) Meza ; several grand, great and great-great grandchildren and friends.

Her home was a central gathering place, a safe and welcoming place for all. She is leaving a huge hole in her friend’s and family’s hearts and will be deeply missed.

There will be a Celebration of Life on Saturday, July 29, 2023 from 2-4 pm. at Bruise Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to her favorite charities; St Jude Children’s Hospital and the Disabled Veteran’s National Foundation.