Ernesto Nava Villa, the last known son of prolific Mexican family man, Pancho Villa, died New Years' Eve in Castro Valley, California. Nava Villa was born 4 July 1915 in Nazas, Durango, to Villa and one of his several wives, Macedonia Ramirez. His mother, fearing the child might be murdered by one of Villa's personal or political enemies, fled to California in 1917, raising her son under an assumed name. Nava Villa was not told of his paternity until he was an adult, but… given the reputation of his father in the United States… was asked to keep it a secret. Which he did until 2003, when — on his first visit to his native Mexico — he discovered not only that he was a minor celebrity as the heir to an important and popular historical figure, but had a host of relations. We think of Pancho Villa as having been responsible for a huge population drop in northern Mexico during the Revolution, but he certainly did his bit to reverse the decline… having children by several of his 23 wives and several girlfriends, and adopting 300 Mexico City orphans. It's too bad Macedonia made the decision to flee so soon. By all accounts, Pancho was an excellent family man actively involved in his children's lives and a good provider. Nava Villa — truly a chip off the old block – is survived nine of his twelve (under California law) "legitimate" children, three other children, thirty one Grandchildren, forty nine great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren. And a lot more cousins, nieces, nephews and great-great-great-great…
Partial article in The Mex Files 1/11/10. by richmx2.
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Ernesto Ramirez Nava July 4, 1915 - Dec. 31, 2009 Resident of Castro Valley Ernesto Ramirez Nava, 94 years of age, died on December 31, 2009 in Castro Valley, CA., with family at his side. Ernesto was born in Nazas, Durango, Mexico on July 4th, 1915 to Macedonia Ramirez (Nava) and Doroteo Arango also known as Francisco (Pancho) Villa. He was preceded by his wife Inez C. Nava, and were married 58 years. On June 7, 1917, Ernesto's mother traveled to the United States to bring her young son to safety from the dangers of the Mexican Revolution at that time. Throughout all these years, Ernesto maintained a secret very dear to his heart. His mother had revealed to him early in life the name of his birth father. It wasn't until his mother died that he felt free to break his promise to her and reveal his birth father's name. The secret; Ernesto was conceived from a relationship between Macedonia Ramirez and Francisco (Pancho) Villa during the Mexican Revolution. Because Ernesto was the last living son of this famous Mexican Revolution General, he was acknowledged and participated in many festivities celebrating the legendary Revolutionary Francisco (Pancho) Villa. He traveled to his father's birthplace and various Mexican cities where he was well received. Here in the United States, he attended many celebrations , television appearances including documentaries on Pancho Villa and was Grand Marshal in the Cinco de Mayo Parade in San Jose, CA. Ernesto is survived by his following children; Raquel Eva (Dr. Will) Myers; Samuel (Juanita) Nava; Elizabeth (Rev. Alfred) Rodriguez; Ernesto Nava, Jr.; Eunice (Ishmael) Perez; Saul (Tomasa) Nava; Tarcila (Gerardo) Zuniga; Benny (Donna) Nava; Eli Manuel Nava and three (deceased) children. He is survived by Thirty one Grandchildren, Forty Nine Great Grandchildren and Four Great, Great Grandchildren. He also fathered; Edwina Tarrant; Grace De La Riva; Rosie Ferrall; Aurelio Nava (deceased); and Raul Nava As Ernesto often said, "La vida es un sueno y el morir es despertar." (Life is a dream and to die is to awaken.) Funeral Services will be at the Apostolic Church, 33700 Alvarado Niles Road, Union City, CA on January 11, at 6:30 P.M. and January 12, at 10:00 A.M. at the Apostolic Church. Burial to follow at the Chapel of The Chimes, 32992 Mission Blvd., Hayward, CA. Chapel of the Chimes (510) 471-3363.
Published in Inside Bay Area from January 9 to January 11, 2010. Obit generously supplied by Carol.
Partial article in The Mex Files 1/11/10. by richmx2.
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Ernesto Ramirez Nava July 4, 1915 - Dec. 31, 2009 Resident of Castro Valley Ernesto Ramirez Nava, 94 years of age, died on December 31, 2009 in Castro Valley, CA., with family at his side. Ernesto was born in Nazas, Durango, Mexico on July 4th, 1915 to Macedonia Ramirez (Nava) and Doroteo Arango also known as Francisco (Pancho) Villa. He was preceded by his wife Inez C. Nava, and were married 58 years. On June 7, 1917, Ernesto's mother traveled to the United States to bring her young son to safety from the dangers of the Mexican Revolution at that time. Throughout all these years, Ernesto maintained a secret very dear to his heart. His mother had revealed to him early in life the name of his birth father. It wasn't until his mother died that he felt free to break his promise to her and reveal his birth father's name. The secret; Ernesto was conceived from a relationship between Macedonia Ramirez and Francisco (Pancho) Villa during the Mexican Revolution. Because Ernesto was the last living son of this famous Mexican Revolution General, he was acknowledged and participated in many festivities celebrating the legendary Revolutionary Francisco (Pancho) Villa. He traveled to his father's birthplace and various Mexican cities where he was well received. Here in the United States, he attended many celebrations , television appearances including documentaries on Pancho Villa and was Grand Marshal in the Cinco de Mayo Parade in San Jose, CA. Ernesto is survived by his following children; Raquel Eva (Dr. Will) Myers; Samuel (Juanita) Nava; Elizabeth (Rev. Alfred) Rodriguez; Ernesto Nava, Jr.; Eunice (Ishmael) Perez; Saul (Tomasa) Nava; Tarcila (Gerardo) Zuniga; Benny (Donna) Nava; Eli Manuel Nava and three (deceased) children. He is survived by Thirty one Grandchildren, Forty Nine Great Grandchildren and Four Great, Great Grandchildren. He also fathered; Edwina Tarrant; Grace De La Riva; Rosie Ferrall; Aurelio Nava (deceased); and Raul Nava As Ernesto often said, "La vida es un sueno y el morir es despertar." (Life is a dream and to die is to awaken.) Funeral Services will be at the Apostolic Church, 33700 Alvarado Niles Road, Union City, CA on January 11, at 6:30 P.M. and January 12, at 10:00 A.M. at the Apostolic Church. Burial to follow at the Chapel of The Chimes, 32992 Mission Blvd., Hayward, CA. Chapel of the Chimes (510) 471-3363.
Published in Inside Bay Area from January 9 to January 11, 2010. Obit generously supplied by Carol.
Ernesto Nava Villa, the last known son of prolific Mexican family man, Pancho Villa, died New Years' Eve in Castro Valley, California. Nava Villa was born 4 July 1915 in Nazas, Durango, to Villa and one of his several wives, Macedonia Ramirez. His mother, fearing the child might be murdered by one of Villa's personal or political enemies, fled to California in 1917, raising her son under an assumed name. Nava Villa was not told of his paternity until he was an adult, but… given the reputation of his father in the United States… was asked to keep it a secret. Which he did until 2003, when — on his first visit to his native Mexico — he discovered not only that he was a minor celebrity as the heir to an important and popular historical figure, but had a host of relations. We think of Pancho Villa as having been responsible for a huge population drop in northern Mexico during the Revolution, but he certainly did his bit to reverse the decline… having children by several of his 23 wives and several girlfriends, and adopting 300 Mexico City orphans. It's too bad Macedonia made the decision to flee so soon. By all accounts, Pancho was an excellent family man actively involved in his children's lives and a good provider. Nava Villa — truly a chip off the old block – is survived nine of his twelve (under California law) "legitimate" children, three other children, thirty one Grandchildren, forty nine great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren. And a lot more cousins, nieces, nephews and great-great-great-great…
Partial article in The Mex Files 1/11/10. by richmx2.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ernesto Ramirez Nava July 4, 1915 - Dec. 31, 2009 Resident of Castro Valley Ernesto Ramirez Nava, 94 years of age, died on December 31, 2009 in Castro Valley, CA., with family at his side. Ernesto was born in Nazas, Durango, Mexico on July 4th, 1915 to Macedonia Ramirez (Nava) and Doroteo Arango also known as Francisco (Pancho) Villa. He was preceded by his wife Inez C. Nava, and were married 58 years. On June 7, 1917, Ernesto's mother traveled to the United States to bring her young son to safety from the dangers of the Mexican Revolution at that time. Throughout all these years, Ernesto maintained a secret very dear to his heart. His mother had revealed to him early in life the name of his birth father. It wasn't until his mother died that he felt free to break his promise to her and reveal his birth father's name. The secret; Ernesto was conceived from a relationship between Macedonia Ramirez and Francisco (Pancho) Villa during the Mexican Revolution. Because Ernesto was the last living son of this famous Mexican Revolution General, he was acknowledged and participated in many festivities celebrating the legendary Revolutionary Francisco (Pancho) Villa. He traveled to his father's birthplace and various Mexican cities where he was well received. Here in the United States, he attended many celebrations , television appearances including documentaries on Pancho Villa and was Grand Marshal in the Cinco de Mayo Parade in San Jose, CA. Ernesto is survived by his following children; Raquel Eva (Dr. Will) Myers; Samuel (Juanita) Nava; Elizabeth (Rev. Alfred) Rodriguez; Ernesto Nava, Jr.; Eunice (Ishmael) Perez; Saul (Tomasa) Nava; Tarcila (Gerardo) Zuniga; Benny (Donna) Nava; Eli Manuel Nava and three (deceased) children. He is survived by Thirty one Grandchildren, Forty Nine Great Grandchildren and Four Great, Great Grandchildren. He also fathered; Edwina Tarrant; Grace De La Riva; Rosie Ferrall; Aurelio Nava (deceased); and Raul Nava As Ernesto often said, "La vida es un sueno y el morir es despertar." (Life is a dream and to die is to awaken.) Funeral Services will be at the Apostolic Church, 33700 Alvarado Niles Road, Union City, CA on January 11, at 6:30 P.M. and January 12, at 10:00 A.M. at the Apostolic Church. Burial to follow at the Chapel of The Chimes, 32992 Mission Blvd., Hayward, CA. Chapel of the Chimes (510) 471-3363.
Published in Inside Bay Area from January 9 to January 11, 2010. Obit generously supplied by Carol.
Partial article in The Mex Files 1/11/10. by richmx2.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ernesto Ramirez Nava July 4, 1915 - Dec. 31, 2009 Resident of Castro Valley Ernesto Ramirez Nava, 94 years of age, died on December 31, 2009 in Castro Valley, CA., with family at his side. Ernesto was born in Nazas, Durango, Mexico on July 4th, 1915 to Macedonia Ramirez (Nava) and Doroteo Arango also known as Francisco (Pancho) Villa. He was preceded by his wife Inez C. Nava, and were married 58 years. On June 7, 1917, Ernesto's mother traveled to the United States to bring her young son to safety from the dangers of the Mexican Revolution at that time. Throughout all these years, Ernesto maintained a secret very dear to his heart. His mother had revealed to him early in life the name of his birth father. It wasn't until his mother died that he felt free to break his promise to her and reveal his birth father's name. The secret; Ernesto was conceived from a relationship between Macedonia Ramirez and Francisco (Pancho) Villa during the Mexican Revolution. Because Ernesto was the last living son of this famous Mexican Revolution General, he was acknowledged and participated in many festivities celebrating the legendary Revolutionary Francisco (Pancho) Villa. He traveled to his father's birthplace and various Mexican cities where he was well received. Here in the United States, he attended many celebrations , television appearances including documentaries on Pancho Villa and was Grand Marshal in the Cinco de Mayo Parade in San Jose, CA. Ernesto is survived by his following children; Raquel Eva (Dr. Will) Myers; Samuel (Juanita) Nava; Elizabeth (Rev. Alfred) Rodriguez; Ernesto Nava, Jr.; Eunice (Ishmael) Perez; Saul (Tomasa) Nava; Tarcila (Gerardo) Zuniga; Benny (Donna) Nava; Eli Manuel Nava and three (deceased) children. He is survived by Thirty one Grandchildren, Forty Nine Great Grandchildren and Four Great, Great Grandchildren. He also fathered; Edwina Tarrant; Grace De La Riva; Rosie Ferrall; Aurelio Nava (deceased); and Raul Nava As Ernesto often said, "La vida es un sueno y el morir es despertar." (Life is a dream and to die is to awaken.) Funeral Services will be at the Apostolic Church, 33700 Alvarado Niles Road, Union City, CA on January 11, at 6:30 P.M. and January 12, at 10:00 A.M. at the Apostolic Church. Burial to follow at the Chapel of The Chimes, 32992 Mission Blvd., Hayward, CA. Chapel of the Chimes (510) 471-3363.
Published in Inside Bay Area from January 9 to January 11, 2010. Obit generously supplied by Carol.
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