Posted on 09/04/2009 4:56:46 AM PDT by GonzoII
VERNON — Gregoria Martinez, 94, might seem like your typical grandma. She made quilts for her grandchildren, encouraged them to go to church, prayed for them, and gave advice.
Except the Vernon grandma didn't have just a handful of grandchildren when she died Tuesday.
She had nearly 300.
Ninety-eight were grandchildren; 164 were great-grandchildren and 16 were great-great-grandchildren — all descendants of her own 11 offspring.
That's without counting her three stepchildren or any of their descendants — or the three great-great grandchildren currently on the way. The family purposely underestimated the total count but felt if all were included it could be as high as 500.
Actually, they have been losing track. Now, with nearly half the family attending the funeral Wednesday, family members passed out index cards to update names and phone numbers while they had their chance.
Martinez's survivors packed the 500-seat St. Mary's Catholic Church in Quanah.
“Her numbers are pretty astounding,” said Jesse Jalomo of his mother-in-law.
She knew most of them The devout Catholic woman, whose husband, Ponciano, died at the age of 94 sometime after their 50th wedding anniversary, “could fill up our elementary school in Quanah with all the great-grandchildren and the great-great-grandchildren,” Jalamo said.
(Excerpt) Read more at disp ...
It’s too bad she didn’t have a legacy. ;O)
My Grandmother Jesse had 59 grandchildren, and at last count several years ago, 216 great grandchildren. (I have cousins who are only 14 so I'm sure we will break that record.)
My Grandmother did leave a legacy. She was poor because my grandfather had to stop working. (that is another story-about the unions then) All her children and grandchildren took care of all her needs and showered her with gift-most she gave to someone poorer than herself.
Grandma had a mission box in her kitchen. Everyone gave money when they visited. She used that money to buy rice, beans,...for a orphanage she raised money to build in Mexico, the town she left when she was 5 to come to the US.
Every year, until she was too old, she brought clothes, medicine, food,.... to the orphanage and bibles to everyone. She always believed in God, but became a born-again Christian later in life. She always had a heart of giving. She would teach out of the bible when she came. She was an amazing women.
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