NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Maria de Jesus “Mamie” Cunha Ramos, 96, passed away Nov. 12, 2014, in Chico, surrounded by her family.
The eldest of eight children, she was born Feb. 23, 1918, in the village of Ribeirinha on the island of Terceira in the Azores, Portugal, to Francisco and Maria Cunha.
Mamie, her parents Frank and Maria, and sister Connie sailed for the United States on June 4, 1920, on the SS Providence. Along with them came Mamie's maternal grandmother and at least three more of Maria's siblings. They landed at Ellis Island.
They settled in Gustine, Calif. Two of Mamie's uncles and one aunt from her mother's side of the family already were in America and sponsored Frank with a job in the dairy business. Maria also was hired to work as a cook at the dairy.
Mamie did not speak any English when she began school. She often told the story of being late to school because she was finishing her chores and thinking the teacher was talking to her about milk when she kept saying, “Late! Late!” – which sounded like the Portuguese word for milk. She was very happy that the teacher was finally using a word she could understand.
Mamie attended Romero School and graduated from the eighth grade in 1933.
She met her future husband, August F. “Gus” Ramos, at a rosary when she was 17.
Her neighbors, the Simas family, were hosting the crown for the festa for a week and would hold a rosary each evening. Gus' dad came with his sons. Who could resist a carload of good looking Ramos men? Mamie said Gus was very quiet and shy. “He stood at the door. I didn't know who he was.”
But, Mrs. Simas had told Gus that Mamie was a nice girl. So Gus and his brothers would later drive slowly down the lane and see if they could catch sight of Mamie. During their courtship, they had one of Mamie's siblings as a chaperone at all times.
Mamie and Gus were married in Gustine on April 28, 1938.
All of the Cunhas, including Gus and Mamie Ramos, moved to Salinas in 1941. In Salinas, the family was in the dairy business for nearly 40 years. In the 1940s, at the time Salinas Valley agriculture began booming, Mamie also worked in the lettuce sheds.
Mamie and Gus' son, Danny, was born in 1949.
In the 1950s, Mamie and Connie studied for the US citizenship test and became naturalized American citizens. Mamie wanted to be able to vote, and eventually worked at the polling precincts.
In 1956, Mamie and Gus adopted daughter Mary, who then was 8 weeks old.
Mamie was proud of her Portuguese heritage, and she was a devoted and longtime member of a number of Portuguese societies, among them, the LUSO American Fraternal Federation, AFDES Portuguese Hall, Sociedade Portuguesa Rainha Santa Isabel (SPRSI), Irmandade do Divino Espírito Santo (IDES) and União Portuguesa Protectora do Estado da Califórnia (UPPEC).
Throughout their years in Salinas, Mamie and Gus were part of the building of the first AFDES Portuguese hall, the new AFDES hall, and St. Mary's Catholic Church. They were involved in all of the Portuguese festas, and their children and grandchildren participated as festa royalty and in the festa parades.
Mamie also was very involved in the PTA while children Danny and Mary were in school.
In the 1960s, she worked in the Salinas High School cafeteria. She made friends there and picked up a lot of recipes from the American cooking.
Mamie and Gus often vacationed at Clear Lake in Lake County, Calif. The tradition grew out of Grandpa Cunha's tradition of taking the family to stay at the beach in Santa Cruz in the summer.
The Clear Lake tradition began in the late 1950s, with the family going annually until the 1970s, sometimes bringing friends along. They continued to go to Clear Lake occasionally into the 1980s.
In the late 70s, Mamie and Gus planned their first trip back to the Azores. But as the trip drew near, Gus became too nervous to fly, and the trip was nearly canceled. Knowing that Mamie had looked forward to the trip, he encouraged her to go ahead and go and take her sister Connie. And so they went.
In 1985, Gus decided he really did want to see the Azores and so they went one more time. Mamie always said he was glad he did.
Mamie and Gus moved off the ranch and into town in 1978. Mamie continued her active involvement in the Portuguese lodges and attended the annual conventions in the summer, often taking one or two grandkids. This was a coveted trip that always included a hotel with a pool, as well as the chance to dress up for the formal dinners and take part in the processions.
A deeply religious woman, Mamie had a powerful love and devotion for Jesus Christ. Her family said it did not matter how her day went, she still sat and read her prayer cards and prayed her rosary everyday – sometimes multiple times a day.
She and her husband were deeply devoted to their large and loving family, and to their many friends. They hosted big Easter and Christmas celebrations and family gatherings. Mamie could always be counted on to fill up a table with her marvelous cooking.
They took their grandchildren on many trips during spring and summer breaks, with Gus praying the rosary in the car with the children. If the grandchildren didn't go home after a summer visit 5 pounds heavier, Mamie didn't believe she had done her job.
When she wasn't caring for her big family, Mamie was knitting countless afghans, tending to the many rose bushes in her backyard, baking chocolate chip bar cookies, sending cards and letters for every occasion, and participating in the altar society. She also loved to reminisce and tell stories from her childhood.
Her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews recall her as loving them unconditionally, and said she blessed their lives with her honesty, faith, genuine heart, kindness, graciousness, caring, compassion, and her thankfulness and appreciation for all she had in her life.
Mamie and Gus had been married for 65 years when Gus passed away in 2004.
After Gus passed away, Mamie lived in Salinas another six years keeping up with family, friends and activities. She finally moved to Orland in 2010, and then to Chico in 2012.
In the years since she moved north, her family enjoyed celebrating her birthdays, having Thanksgiving at granddaughter Shelley's home, her grandson Danny's wedding, grandson Paul's 40th birthday, the many performances by great-granddaughter Sophie's ukulele troupe at Mamie's home, and her many photo ops and videos on Facebook.
Not long after Gus died, Mamie came across an article about a couple who had been married 80 years.
“How lucky!” she exclaimed.
What a sweet love they shared, to still hope for more time together after 65 years. Mamie and Gus are together again now – this time, for eternity. How lucky.
In addition to her beloved Gus, she is preceded in death by four brothers and three sisters.
Mamie is survived by son, Dan (Kathy) Ramos of Orland; daughter, Mary Ramos Porter of Yuma, Ariz.; sisters-in-law, Elaine Cunha, Mary Cunha and Rosalie Cunha; grandchildren, Dan Jr. (Susan) Ramos, Shelley (Scott) January, Paul Ramos, Melissa (John) MacClean, Vanessa (Gus) Rodriguez and Jerrod Harris.
She also leaves behind great-grandchildren, Alexander, Mitchel (Kalea) and Tyler (Hannah) Graves; Kylee and Nathaniel Harris; Sophie, Gus, Aubrey and Lexie January; Olivia MacClean; Elizabeth, Emily and Tyler (Chelsi) Ramos; and Alizae and Junior Rodriguez.
In addition, she is survived by many nieces and nephews; and many friends.
On Monday, Nov. 17, visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. at F.D. Sweet & Son, 825 A St., Orland.
A requiem Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, at St. Dominic's Parish, 822 A St., Orland, with a reception to follow in the parish hall.
In Salinas, graveside services are planned for 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, at Garden of Memories, 850 Abbott St., with a reception immediately following at a location to be announced.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the charity of your choice.
