Obituary of Manuelita Martha Gurule

Our Grama Marta, she was everyone’s Grama. Once when asked who I was going to visit, I said, “My Grama.” The response was, “Oh yeah, she’s everyone’s Grama.” But she was really my Grama. She took in anyone who needed a place to stay and scolded a person for asking if they could have food. If she had it, it was yours too. She danced and cooked and laughed. And she said things straight. But the thing I will remember the most is her laugh. It was unmistakable. A person knew she was near even if they couldn’t see her from her infectious laugh. I learned some tough lessons from my Grama. Things I will never forget. They stung but they were the truth. She knew about people. Her life experience helped her to make a pretty good estimation of what people were about. It left us all curious of what Grama Marta thought of a person. The lessons I have learned from my Grama are these: 1. Life isn’t fair. Sometimes people can do horrible things. But each of us can decide to do our best to be happy 2. Never let anyone take away your dignity. 3. Share what you have with those who need it. 4. Call it what it is. You can’t correct a situation if you don’t face it. 5. Dancing is good for the spirit. 6. Spanish rice and mole can make a meal out of even a few humble eggs. I remember her picking us up from high school in her green Gremlin, wearing plaid pants, a flowered shirt and her dog named Precious. Somehow all the kids thought she was the coolest Grama ever. I’ve never tasted a tortilla that could come close to her homemade tortillas. She made sure we all learned to make them too, but we could never make them as good as she did. She never pretended that she was better; she liked people to underestimate her. She used this to her advantage, especially playing 500 Rummy. She loved to crochet, dance, ceramics, gardening, dance, music, painting, dancing and laughter. Last, my Grama taught me to love people. She loved almost everyone. Maybe that’s why so many people loved her. Grama is survived by her two sons Dan Morgan and John Gonzales, brother Ed Ornelas and sister Cee, grandchildren Tammy Flores, Cory Morgan, Tina Flores, Holly Magana and Angela Gibbons, six great-grandchildren Lavender, Jesse, Lily, Vanessa, Camille, and Lyla, seven great-great-grandchildren, niece Tiffany ODeTool and family. Arrangements are being made for a celebration of Grama’s life. Contact family members for more information.