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Aunt Josefina

 I have fond memories of Maria Josefina Mendoza Mendez de Leon. She was born in 1907. Josefina's parents were Guillermo Pablo Mendoza Ramos (1870-1907) and Ana Mendez de Leon (1876-1947.)

Ana Maria was the second wife of my grandfather Felipe N.  Brambila. They married on August 8, 1921 in Ameca, Jalisco, Mexico. Grandpa was sixty-seven years old; Ana Mendez de Leon was forty-six years old. My mother lived with my grandfather since my grandmother had passed away on May 11, 1921. My mother Carmelita was seventeen years old when grandpa married the second time.My mother and Josefina became lifetime friends, considering each other sisters.

Josefina had a heart of gold. She helped my parents in time of need. She was charitable  to others as well. 

Tia Josefina (term of endearment in Spanish) died on April 6, 1993 in Mexico City. She wrote me a letter on June 16, 1990. She told me that she just returned from Russia, where she spent 22 days. The letter was a farewell note.

The picture depicts my mother and Josefina at a young age. My mother is sixteen years old, as noted in the reverse of the image.




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