Nora Ligia Artavia

Nora, Norita, Tiano, Tia Nora, Mom and Yita. These were all names that we knew my mom by. And, of course, we all have our own special memories of her, depending on what she was to you. One thing we can all agree on is how fun-loving and sweet she was. Always had a smile for everyone, liked to have fun, dance, and take care of all of us kids as we were growing up.

Coming from a family of 11 kids(!) in Costa Rica, I’m sure there were many times when she was not happy or fought with her siblings. But I also know that her family was full of love, and that is what ultimately probably gave her her sweet disposition. Being pursued by and won over by my dad also made her very happy. As happenstance would have it, my mom and dad would have been celebrating their 65th Wedding Anniversary this month, as they were married on April 17th, in 1959.

All the kids in our extended family also made her happy. Before Mary Ann and I entered the picture, she told me many times how much she had enjoyed watching, babysitting, and taking care of all the older cousins. Even after Mary Ann and myself, she still kept on helping out watching different cousins, if she could, after school, until mom or dad could pick them up, and I know a lot of the cousins have those memories.

My mom, Nora, was a woman of strong faith, too. She had been a member of her Parish, Nativity, in Torrance, California, since 1973, and we always came to mass. As my Dad was an usher at Nativity for many years, my mom enjoyed being a part of the Nativity community, even forming a friendship with the Nativity pastor, Fr. McHugh.

She loved her work as a school secretary at Gulf Avenue School, in Wilmington, California. She always found it great that she was able to work with her sister, Marta, there, as well as her friend, Ligia Arce. She didn’t like the drive-by shootings too much, but, fortunately, those were few and far between. She enjoyed her time there so much.

As we were growing up, another thing she enjoyed was traveling. We took epic road trips, all over the place, even driving to Costa Rica and back TWICE. I remember it being a little cramped on the way back as we would bring back Tio Ricardo, Tia Flora, and Yita Pan on both those trips. But such wonderful memories were made on those trips, and others. Especially camping with Uncles, Aunts, and Cousins. I know many of us remember camping in Campland, San Diego, terrorizing the campground on our Big Wheels. And always coming back to some good food that my mom and the other aunts and uncles had cooked up. Great times that she enjoyed immensely.

In her later years, she enjoyed watching her granddaughter, Marissa, growing up and being able to see her participate in all of her sports and extracurricular activities such as being a part of school musicals and cheerleading at football games. She loved her so dearly, Marissa was the apple of her eye, and she was always thrilled to get a visit from her (and always asking when she was coming over next when she didn’t come). I’d like to think that my mom lasted a few years longer because of the excitement of visits from Marissa, though of course she still loved getting visits from the rest of us and being taken care of by her great caregivers. The combo of all of these things did make her happy all the way to the end.

We will definitely miss my mom. Her smile, her kindness, her happiness. We were so fortunate to have her these last seven years after my Dad passed. But, I am happy that she gets to finally be with my dad again, without any pains or illness, dancing and having a great time in Heaven with departed friends and family. That’s a great thing to think about.

- Mario Artavia II