BajaNomad - Mama Espinoza in El Rosario passed away at the age of 109

One of the Octogenarians living in Punta Banda shared the news on Facebook that Mama Espinoza of El Rosario passed away at 109. Though I didn't know her I read many stories of her over the years. The person that shared this on Facebook called her "a beautiful intelligent lady". RIP Mama. You were a legend to the Nomads of Baja that passed through your stagecoach stop.

"One of the Octogenarians"?? Does Tillie know she's that old??

desertcpl - 3-12-2016 at 05:24 PM

RIP

BajaBlanca - 3-12-2016 at 05:43 PM

DEP

EnsenadaDr - 3-12-2016 at 05:55 PM

Ha Ha Bob, you know what happens in Punta Banda stays in Punta Banda especially privacy on Facebook!!

Quote: Originally posted by durrelllrobert

"One of the Octogenarians"?? Does Tillie know she's that old??

micah202 - 3-12-2016 at 06:01 PM

.

....I'm interested to hear something from Elinvestigator. I learnt a lot from reading his stories of her,, both about Mama and Elin-

grace59 - 3-12-2016 at 06:30 PM

I just read this on Facebook. Baja lost an original. RIP, Mama!

liknbaja127 - 3-12-2016 at 07:51 PM

What a great lady, I had a chance to meet her 2 years ago, was just there last weekend. they said she was good, sorry to hear this. RIP.
You will be missed.

Tomas Tierra - 3-12-2016 at 09:29 PM

DEP Dona Anita

Elona - 3-13-2016 at 02:06 AM

She had a very long and fulfilling life.

RIP Mama!

David K - 3-13-2016 at 04:33 AM

It was a thrill to meet her and hear her stories about the good people that used to come on the bad roads. That was in July 2009.

Her memory was so good, she probably would remember the first time my family drove by, in 1966!?

She wrote an autobiography many years ago. In it she provides the birth years of herself and her 9 brothers and sisters. She was the youngest. Records were not formel in El Rosario until 1910, so most books give that as the birthyear for Anita (Mama).

DEP Anita/Mama

[Edited on 3-16-2016 by David K]

chippy - 3-13-2016 at 07:24 AM

Hey DK do you have a link to her autobio ? What a fascinating woman.

Thanks

ELINVESTIG8R - 3-13-2016 at 08:01 AM

With profound sadness I report that my mami Anita Grosso Espinoza "Mama Espinoza" passed away peacefully at her home in El Rosario at 5:30 AM on Saturday March 12, 2016. She was a great lady who took care of me during a tough time in my life as a young boy. She will be laid to rest at 2:00 PM today at the El Rosario cemetery accompanied by her family and friends. Mami is now in heaven with our Heavenly Father. I will miss her so very much. I love you mami.

micah202 - 3-13-2016 at 08:16 AM

With profound sadness I report that my mami Anita Grosso Espinoza "Mama Espinoza" passed away peacefully at her home in El Rosario at 5:30 AM on Saturday March 12, 2016. She was a great lady who took care of me during a tough time in my life as a young boy. She will be laid to rest at 2:00 PM today at the El Rosario cemetery accompanied by her family and friends. Mami is now in heaven with our Heavenly Father. I will miss her so very much. I love you mami.

....and best wishes to you Elin,, it's very clear mamaE meant a lot to you. Mama's looking over us all now :rolleyes:

EnsenadaDr - 3-13-2016 at 10:30 AM

Nancy Reagan and her are sharing jokes with Pancho Villa and Ronnie in that great ranch in the sky!

chippy - 3-13-2016 at 10:39 AM

Nancy Reagan and her are sharing jokes with Pancho Villa and Ronnie in that great ranch in the sky!

I think Nancy, Ronnie and Francisco are probably in a hotter subterranean local.

EnsenadaDr - 3-13-2016 at 10:53 AM

Haha good one!! However, let's hope there is no political agenda in the afterlife.

fdt - 3-13-2016 at 10:55 AM

DEP, mi mas sentido pesame para ti David M.

Mexitron - 3-13-2016 at 11:09 AM

Wow, what a legend, go with God Mama Espinoza.

larryC - 3-13-2016 at 11:52 AM

The math doesn't add up, if she was born in '08 she didn't quite make 109. Close enough for me though. What a nice lady.
Larry

David K - 3-13-2016 at 12:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by chippy

Hey DK do you have a link to her autobio ? What a fascinating woman.

Thanks

She was indeed fascinating!

In her book:

and Greg's book:

She was a super lady!

[Edited on 3-16-2016 by David K]

Riom - 3-13-2016 at 03:28 PM

What is interesting is all newer books (including one she autographed for me in person and said had the "true story" of her life, makes her even younger with the birth in August 1910 (making her 'only' 105 yesterday, instead of 107)...

In the 1930 Mexico Census, her age was shown as 22. She's Anita Grosso on the last line on that image (line 31), her mother Tecla is on the line above.

As that census was taken on May 15th, 1930, at age 22 she was born either in late 1907 or early 1908. If the October (or August?) birthday is correct, it would be October 1907, making her now 108. Still a good age to reach!

Note she's shown as "divorced" on that census. Her future husband Heraclio is also in the census a few pages earlier (line 15).

Rob

chippy - 3-13-2016 at 05:07 PM

Thanks David.

gnukid - 3-13-2016 at 05:16 PM

What an amazing person Mama Espinoza. I always enjoyed stopping to visit and eat during ever since I was a kid and thought that she was a successful person in life that I aspire to be like. May she rest in peace.

Bajahowodd - 3-13-2016 at 05:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by chippy

Nancy Reagan and her are sharing jokes with Pancho Villa and Ronnie in that great ranch in the sky!

I think Nancy, Ronnie and Francisco are probably in a hotter subterranean local.

I really have to agree on this post. Dona Anita was and now is an angel. Not so much Nancy and Ronnie.

But I also think that it is wrong to politicized her passing.

ELINVESTIG8R - 3-13-2016 at 08:10 PM

REST- IN-PEACE MAMA ESPINOZA

[Edited on 3-15-2016 by BajaNomad]

pappy - 3-14-2016 at 10:01 AM

the first lady of Baja. may she rest in peace....

Museo de Doña Anita (Espinoza-Grosso)

David K - 3-14-2016 at 04:45 PM

Have you folks been into the museum dedicated to her life?

I posted many photos of it, and one even appeared on the Baja Calendar one year.

Here is a web page with the museum photos (from April 2006): http://vivabaja.com/406/

bezzell - 3-14-2016 at 05:23 PM

hey DK ... no photo resizing suggestion? slipping!

(RIP after a long life M. Espinosa)

bigboy - 3-14-2016 at 05:51 PM

I first met Mama Espinoza at her house in 1971. At that time her kitchen was her restaurant.
If you can believe it, my friends grandmother died the same day as Mama Espinoza and she was also 109. It was believed that she was the oldest woman in California. Mama Espinoza was born 10/16/1906 and my friends grandmother was born 11/13/1906.
Two wonderful women....they will be missed!

CaboMagic - 3-14-2016 at 08:50 PM

Oh my .. just saw this thread -- adding our condolences to all who loved Mama E .. she was kind, gentle and gracious on the few occasions I had the opportunity to interact with her. Another special angel now in heaven.

BajaGringo - 3-14-2016 at 08:51 PM

This October (2016) she would have turned 108, per her own autobiography.

(The newer books say she would turn 106 this year, but they were written by others... and likely using the government records that began in 1910, according to her.)

So, she was 107 (or 105) when she passed on.
I like to believe her own words over the government bookkeepers of 1910.
It really was a great life and two, three or four years wrong is not a deal after you are 100, is it? Let's just be accurate for history.

I know Mama's family quite well and I see them quite often. I recently asked a couple of her kids what her real age was? They both assured me that she celebrated 109 years on her birthday last October. When I asked them about the different ages reported in different books, they both laughed and said that if you were to ask her how old she was 7 days in a row, you would get seven different answers. She had a very keen memory with many historical events of her life events but with others, especially her age - not so much. They assured me that the family has lots of documentation, (baptism/school records) to prove that she was really born in 1906 and found it quite funny that some gringos were actually arguing over it.

They then showed me the photo of the cake from her latest birthday and asked me if the entire family (you had to attend one of her birthdays to understand the size of the family) was in on this conspiracy to make her older than she really was?

No offense David but I think I will go with their answer...

micah202 - 3-14-2016 at 09:57 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bezzell

hey DK ... no photo resizing suggestion? slipping!

(RIP after a long life M. Espinosa)

There are no oversized photos in need of resizing to fit Nomad's rule of 800 pixels max width. ???

...th'size of that picture is th'size of Elin's love,, seems quite appropriate :smug:

willardguy - 3-14-2016 at 10:29 PM

geezus david....let it go :rolleyes:

Riom - 3-15-2016 at 06:37 AM

If I find any more Mama E birth year data I will share. Until then, I will go with her writing of it.

See the Mexican census image link I posted earlier in this thread (just after your photos): on May 15th, 1930 Anita Grosso considered herself to be 22. So with a birthday in the second half of the year that'd make her 108.

Just like later information, it may be wrong, perhaps she was told the wrong date by her parents, or wanted to make herself appear younger or older. But it's the earliest documented date so maybe the most likely to be accurate. It's easier to get years mixed up later!

BajaGringo - 3-15-2016 at 08:13 AM

I am sure her family thinks that... but they weren't alive then, right? So, I ask you to read the 10 children's birth years and tell me when the next youngest two sisters were born, or are all the years off by two, back to Arturo?

Adelaida was born in 1906 and Anita was the youngest. Again, these years are Mama's own writing from when she was younger and not confused as you say her family claims she was.

If I find any more Mama E birth year data I will share. Until then, I will go with her writing of it.

What I was told by members of her family was that because she had no birth certificate, the family was never quite sure how old she was growing up. Census data back then was not concrete proof either. Tracing my own family history recently I discovered two different census where my own mom's age was listed incorrectly.

What her kids told me was that one day when they were going through family photos and memorabilia that they discovered baptism and early school records for Anita which listed her DOB as 1906.

Her autobiography was not written entirely by her own hand but she was sharing her recollections with someone helping her to write it. Yes, I am sure that her memory was much better when she was just a spring chicken at the young age of 88 - her autobiography was published in 1994. As far as getting the ages of her brothers and sister wrong, it was simply getting one age wrong and then adding/subtracting the years difference in comparison. I have made that same mistake myself when trying to figure out the ages of my own siblings. I am only half her age and cannot imagine how my memory will function if I even live to be 88.

When she passed away a few days ago, Mama Espinoza was convinced that she was 109. All of her children and close family believed her to be 109.

That's good enough for me...

[Edited on 3-15-2016 by BajaGringo]

BajaGringo - 3-15-2016 at 08:49 AM

And BTW, I never even thought to ask them when they discovered the records. It could very well have been AFTER her autobiography was written...

chuckie - 3-15-2016 at 02:18 PM

I'm done....RIP Mama.....

mtgoat666 - 3-15-2016 at 02:26 PM

How old is DK?

micah202 - 3-15-2016 at 02:42 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

How old is DK?

.....what is time? :wow:

Steve in Oro Valley - 3-15-2016 at 04:11 PM

My La Siesta Press(Walt Wheelock) Helen Elsberg biography was my favorite ( I have three copies) and her own autobiography a close second. She did not feel Helen's work did justice. I have multiple copies of that one also.

I first met her in December of 1976.... I remember having a laugh with her about a head gasket hanging on the toilet in the restaurant bathroom... Get it? A HEAD gasket hanging on the Head????

What a woman.

Steve in Oro Valley

Steve in Oro Valley - 3-15-2016 at 04:28 PM

Doña Anita of El Rosario by Helen Ellsberg 1974 with introduction by Walt Wheelock (la Siesta Press)

mtgoat666 - 3-15-2016 at 10:34 PM

Dk,
How old are you?

bajabuddha - 3-15-2016 at 10:36 PM

PLEASE ALL, LET MAMA REST. ENOUGH.
bb

micah202 - 3-15-2016 at 11:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Steve in Oro Valley

Doña Anita of El Rosario by Helen Ellsberg 1974 with introduction by Walt Wheelock (la Siesta Press)

From inside:

I am a huge fan of Mama Espinoza...

Thank you Steve for mentioning that book, I forgot I had it... a copy that was Mike McMahan's (whose wall map is inside Mama's restaurant).

.....thanks for keeping with the thread's focus! :yes:

ELINVESTIG8R - 3-16-2016 at 01:36 PM

I wanted to share with you the only physical things left that belong to Mama Espinoza, which are located in her closet. I pulled out her favorite dress to also share with you. In the end it really does not matter if she passed away at 108, 109 or 110 as one newspaper had it. The fact is she was a person who'd give the shirt from her back to someone less fortunate than her. She did for me during a difficult time in my life and for that I will always be greatful. Rest-in-Peace Mami.

PS: David K if Mamá was alive today, she would forgive you. That's the least I could do too. Everyone, please forgive David K.

[Edited on 3-16-2016 by ELINVESTIG8R]

MMc - 3-16-2016 at 02:21 PM

ELINVESTIG8R you are a good guy and thanks for bring this back to a life well lived. She will be missed by many.

chuckie - 3-16-2016 at 02:43 PM

Done,MSGT....

Udo - 3-16-2016 at 04:38 PM

WOW!

Thanks for sharing, DK!

I wish I had that book.

Quote: Originally posted by Steve in Oro Valley

Doña Anita of El Rosario by Helen Ellsberg 1974 with introduction by Walt Wheelock (la Siesta Press)

From inside:

I am a huge fan of Mama Espinoza...

Thank you Steve for mentioning that book, I forgot I had it... a copy that was Mike McMahan's (whose wall map is inside Mama's restaurant).

[Edited on 3-16-2016 by David K]

David K - 3-16-2016 at 04:42 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Udo

WOW!

Thanks for sharing, DK!

I wish I had that book.

Quote: Originally posted by Steve in Oro Valley

Doña Anita of El Rosario by Helen Ellsberg 1974 with introduction by Walt Wheelock (la Siesta Press)

From inside:

Here you go my friend... over 8 for sale, and inexpensive too!: http://www.amazon.com/Dona-Anita-Rosario-Helen-Ellsberg/dp/B...

Bajahowodd - 3-16-2016 at 05:10 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajabuddha

PLEASE ALL, LET MAMA REST. ENOUGH.
bb

THIS!

ELINVESTIG8R - 3-16-2016 at 05:55 PM

David I forgive you for being an insufferable *****. Unless you are connected to mama as I am to the point of having the privilege to go into her closet to pull out her favorite dress and take a picture you do not know her. She died at the age of 109. End of story. You're still forgiven.

Forgive me???
She would forgive all of you who disrespected her own words, as well.
I only posted HER book page and HER year she gave... has nothing to do with me, so stop shooting the messenger. I removed all my posts in which I typed her real age... to calm you few drama-istas, as promised.

[Edited on 3-17-2016 by BajaNomad]

motoged - 3-16-2016 at 07:14 PM

David I forgive you for being an insufferable *****.

David M,,
While one of the "Coopers" from a few years back, I wish to offer my sincere condolences for your loss of such an important person in your life.

It is a matter of the heart.....not the political crap we can all fall into with boisterous opinions and narcissistic contributions to Nomads. If this forum was a funeral or "celebration of life", it would be very inappropriate and disrespectful for others to niggle about the deceased. This is NOT a time for anyone to continue to insist that they are right about all they say.

May your memories and sentiments about you "fostering" mami always be with you and bring warmth to your soul. :saint:

[Edited on 3-17-2016 by BajaNomad]

ELINVESTIG8R - 3-16-2016 at 07:57 PM

Thank you Motoged for your kind words. I think it is time to bury the hatchet between us and others if they are so inclined to do so with me. I would like to apologize to those who I have offended and ask your forgiveness. I don't want to get too mushy so I'll leave it there, but it is sincere. Again David K I forgive you.

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

David I forgive you for being an insufferable *****.

[Edited on 3-17-2016 by BajaNomad]

chippy - 3-16-2016 at 07:59 PM

WOW! This has turned wrong on so many levels. Let her life be remembered and her soul RIP.

micah202 - 3-16-2016 at 10:15 PM

.

....David ....please. just. let. it. go.

..Elin,, what a noble gesture you've made in remembrance of Mama.

.....though I hope we can still play 'chickencoop' sometime

motoged - 3-16-2016 at 11:16 PM

David M (Elinvestigator) may well be willing to let that coop stuff go...maybe we Coopers can do the same... :light:

TMW - 3-17-2016 at 08:44 AM

I did not know Mama Espinoza personally and had only met her a couple of times where we exchanged kind words. Her reputation was that of a Grand Lady who helped those in need. I have often eaten in her restaurant and enjoyed it.

God speed Mama and may you be remembered forever.

DianaT - 3-17-2016 at 09:05 AM

John first met Mama Espinoza in about 1970 on a field trip for the graduate geography department at Northridge.

At that time, her place was quite simple, but she took good care of the group. She has definitely earned the right to rest in peace. She took such good care of so many.

DavidM ---- for you, your mami will always be with you in your heart.

[Edited on 3-17-2016 by DianaT]

wilderone - 3-17-2016 at 09:39 AM

Books available:

http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&ref=bf...

Rest in peace, Mama. A life well lived.

boe4fun - 3-17-2016 at 10:37 AM

Another Baja original gone, DEP Mama.

elgatoloco - 3-17-2016 at 12:07 PM

RIP Mama Espinoza

bezzell - 3-17-2016 at 12:11 PM