SR0388 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0388 LRB103 33078 LAW 62885 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Doņa Maria Luisa Valdez Espinoza, who passed away on July 4, 2023; and

WHEREAS, Maria Luisa Valdez was born in La Merced, Municipio de Manuel Doblado, Guanajuato, Mexico on August 25, 1935; she was the daughter of Timoteo and Rufina Espinoza; she married Jesus Valdez in 1953, and they moved to San Pablo and had nine children, Benjamin, Pedro, Alejo, Beto, Jesus, Juan, Maria, Julio Cesar, and Sandro; and

WHEREAS, Maria Luisa Valdez cared for and managed her growing family while her husband traveled back and forth from the United States and Mexico as a migrant worker; after saving enough money, they bought a hacienda together with land and animals, where she created and maintained a successful and fruitful property; she and her family left the farm and moved to the larger city of Leon to pursue more educational opportunities for their children in 1971; she then moved her six younger children to Elgin, Illinois to join her husband and two older sons in 1973; and

WHEREAS, Maria Luisa Valdez created multiple small businesses in addition to raising nine children, running a large household, and migrating to another country; she bought and sold gold, sourced secondhand clothes to sell in Mexico, and established a very affordable childcare center out of her home in Elgin for her neighbors and the community; she provided housing for people who were migrating from Mexico and starting new lives in the United States, and she also opened her home to many family members from Mexico to give them the opportunity to study and learn English in the United States; her business ventures generated extra income to support her children, but more importantly, they were investments in building community and a sense of belonging for many people who were trying to start a new life in an unfamiliar place; and

WHEREAS, Maria Luisa Valdez and her husband were committed to providing their children with every educational opportunity available; despite having received no formal education herself, she raised highly educated children with developed entrepreneurial skills; her children built successful careers in banking, medicine, law, counseling, and technology; and

WHEREAS, Maria Luisa Valdez's vibrant personality, sharp wit, and incredible storytelling abilities made her a supreme host, and her home was the center of countless gatherings and parties; she prepared an extensive menu of delicious foods with love and tenderness, including gorditas de horno, handmade tortillas, a great variety of salsas, and café de olla; and

WHEREAS, Maria Luisa Valdez was devoted to her faith, and she valued family and community above all else, creating a sense of belonging to all in need of a home; her love for all her grandchildren was boundless, and she enjoyed visiting them in California, Florida, and Mexico; and

WHEREAS, Maria Luisa Valdez had an impact on many lives during her lifetime, and she will continue to shape and transform people in her physical absence due to her strong spirit; she will be remembered for being a strong and powerful daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, comadre, great-grandmother, and friend; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Doņa Maria Luisa Valdez Espinoza and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Maria Luisa Valdez as an expression of our deepest sympathy.