Elvira Cota
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You can rest now Mama,
Your work is all done
No more meals to cook,
Clothes to hang in the sun
Your burden was heavy,
You bore it all with grace,
Single mother to eight,
By yourself you raised.
You can rest now Mama,
Your work is done
No more tears to dry,
Or errands to run.
Your battles are done now,
Only love have you sown,
See how it’s flourished ,
Just look how it has grown.
You can rest now Mama,
We’re here to say goodbye,
Until we meet again,
You’ll always be nigh.
Your gentle touch has reached wide,
Your sweet voice in our ears,
There’re no more mountains to climb,
No more valleys of tears.
You can rest now Mama,
We see you everywhere,
In Randy’s wise words,
In Louie’s prayers we hear,
In Joe’s crazy ways,
Chuck’s humor so wry,
Cynthia’s love of children,
Helen’s apple pie.
You can rest now Mama,
Tim’s on the right track,
He’s home now for good,
Said he ain’t going back
Palomita sends kisses
Remember fondly your touch,
Tortillas, warm with butter,
You taught her so much.
You can rest now Mama,
Kimberly’s now seen
A fine model of strength,
What “Mother” means.
Like the lilies of the fields,
Who neither toil nor spin,
You’re more beautiful than all
No one else is akin.
You can rest now Mama
We’ll miss you more than you know
Go to Sweet Jesus,
His brilliant light is aglow.
There’s Jack, Cookie Buddy,
You sister Carmen, too,
Your parents Elena and Cruz
All are waiting for you.
You can rest now Mama,
The Lord will carry you home,
You’re in good company,
No more going it alone.
You leave us sad and alone,
But with your legacy,
Loving kindness, hard work,
Faith as deep as the sea.
Written by Janice Carrillo-Honan,
Daughter
1 John 4:7
Elvira Cota
Beloved mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother
Born July 17, 1918
Died: December 4, 2007
Elvira Cota-A History
Elvira Cota, beloved mother of eight, died December 4, 2007, at the age of 89, surrounded by her children in her home. She single-handedly raised her children with love and devotion.
Born in Trinidad, Colorado, to Cruz and Elena Cota, Elvira and her sisters went to work early cleaning hospitals to help their mother after their father succumbed to tuberculosis. Her father and grandmother, Elucrecia, migrated from Santiago, Baja California Sur in Mexico. Cruz Cota sought work in the mines of Trinidad and later became a land owner with five lots in Trinidad. Her father had been in the middle of building a home for his wife and four daughters when he died. Her mother’s family, the Valdezes were among the early Colorado settlers to the area that was previously known as the New Mexico Territory. The Valdez family were learned politicians, ranchers, teachers and military officers. Elvira’s great grandfather fought in the Civil War with Kit Carson. The Valdez cemetery in Trinidad is a registered historic site.
Elvira Cota was married to John Louis Carrillo (a former Colorado state representative) for 28 years. With him she bore eleven children. Caroline (Cookie) and Joseph (Buddy) died in infancy. John Steven (Jack) died at the age of sixteen in a car accident.
As a single parent of eight children, she pulled up her shirt sleeves and found work as an assembler in Sorrento Valley with Illinois Tool Works, She took in sewing on the side and taught her children the value of hard work. In her spare time, she enjoyed making ceramics and doing embroidery. She learned to drive while in her 50s and bought a home, all great accomplishments for a woman who had only eight years of formal education. She was bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish.
Elvira’s specialty was cooking and baking. Her homemade tortillas and bread were without comparison. Her devotion to God began at an early age. As a child of five, she walked to church alone. She was a member of the Living Springs Church in Spring Valley and also attended the New Life Assembly Church in San Diego.
She leaves behind five sons, Louis, (wife, Ofelia) Charles (wife, Nona), Tim, Joseph and Randy (wife, Mary Sue) Carrill; three, daughters, Cynthia Carrillo, Janice Carrillo-Honan, (husband, Peter) and Helen Jacobson, all of San Diego County; and sisters, Ramona Sandoval of Trinidad, Colorado, Ernestine Lopez of Detroit, Michigan and Lorraine Martinez of Trinidad.. She is also survived by 28 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and 8 great-great grandchildren
Elvira Cota, beloved mother of eight, died December 4, 2007, at the age of 89, surrounded by her children in her home. She single-handedly raised her children with love and devotion.
Born in Trinidad, Colorado, to Cruz and Elena Cota, Elvira and her sisters went to work early cleaning hospitals to help their mother after their father succumbed to tuberculosis. Her father and grandmother, Elucrecia, migrated from Santiago, Baja California Sur in Mexico. Cruz Cota sought work in the mines of Trinidad and later became a land owner with five lots in Trinidad. Her father had been in the middle of building a home for his wife and four daughters when he died. Her mother’s family, the Valdezes were among the early Colorado settlers to the area that was previously known as the New Mexico Territory. The Valdez family were learned politicians, ranchers, teachers and military officers. Elvira’s great grandfather fought in the Civil War with Kit Carson. The Valdez cemetery in Trinidad is a registered historic site.
Elvira Cota was married to John Louis Carrillo (a former Colorado state representative) for 28 years. With him she bore eleven children. Caroline (Cookie) and Joseph (Buddy) died in infancy. John Steven (Jack) died at the age of sixteen in a car accident.
As a single parent of eight children, she pulled up her shirt sleeves and found work as an assembler in Sorrento Valley with Illinois Tool Works, She took in sewing on the side and taught her children the value of hard work. In her spare time, she enjoyed making ceramics and doing embroidery. She learned to drive while in her 50s and bought a home, all great accomplishments for a woman who had only eight years of formal education. She was bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish.
Elvira’s specialty was cooking and baking. Her homemade tortillas and bread were without comparison. Her devotion to God began at an early age. As a child of five, she walked to church alone. She was a member of the Living Springs Church in Spring Valley and also attended the New Life Assembly Church in San Diego.
She leaves behind five sons, Louis, (wife, Ofelia) Charles (wife, Nona), Tim, Joseph and Randy (wife, Mary Sue) Carrill; three, daughters, Cynthia Carrillo, Janice Carrillo-Honan, (husband, Peter) and Helen Jacobson, all of San Diego County; and sisters, Ramona Sandoval of Trinidad, Colorado, Ernestine Lopez of Detroit, Michigan and Lorraine Martinez of Trinidad.. She is also survived by 28 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and 8 great-great grandchildren
Through your life with us we've learned so much and yet in your death we have too. You've only become even more alive in our hearts somehow,
Even though you not be here in body now.
Yet I don't really think you ever realized, just how much you are honored in my eyes
.I know I told you in word and tried to express in deed,
Just how much I love you and hope that love by you was believed.
For if I could only have given back even just a small portion that you shared, My heart would be so content. Therefore I thank you now for how much you cared.
Now as I ponder just all you've left behind through the lessons that you taught,
I believe now you'd tell me to be practicing that love which cannot be bought.
That is what you were all about my sweet mother dear.
You taught us well to get along and your lessons we do hear.
So, in order to show you just how much we truly do honor you.
We'll do our best to not let your words fall by the way but practice them too.
By Helen, your daughter
How dare I even ask.
For though our minds may frustrate, question and even doubt..
Our hearts bear witness that your love dwells among us for you never left us without.
We accept this by faith. The faith you taught us by example,
We will never forget or be without if we only just received a sample.
The strong impact you have made and indelibly written on the tablets of our hearts,
Is our constant reminder that we are never ever apart.
So if our finite minds cannot comprehend the depth of love through God Himself you left us,
All we need do is look deep inside our hearts and see the simple message that you taught.
We'll there find those embers of love still burning ever hot.
You've lit up our lives with your fervor and your grace.
We've learned a heavy lesson we will never forget,
There is not ONE who can take your place.
Helen-your daughter
When I look back at all of the memories we have with you,
I can say that #1 your children knew your love was TRUE.
You lived your life for us and gave such sacrifice.
Yet you never complained, for your love for us sufficed.
Though at times you endured such sorrow, your FAITH always saw you through.
We knew at those times you carried on in spite of feeling blue.
For you drew your strength from GOD on High. You knew when
you sought Him, He was nigh.
Your faithful life was a living example to us, and those who knew you were very touched.
Now as Heaven calls your name, your loss we do feel with such sad pain.
Though our hearts will surely lament, there is only ONE thought that will keep us content.
The thought of you walking into the Garden of our Lord.
For it is there that you will find your due reward.
So walk on in peace, through the Kingdom's gates. For our Lord
awaits you with His beaming face.
As you enter, you will hear Him say "Come my daughter and have
no fear. Your days of stress and hard work are done. Now here
I am to rest upon. You've done well my child, come dwell with Me.
For now at peace you shall truly be."
My sweet Mother, my Rock, now into God's Kingdom you do walk.
Forever in our hearts the love that you did give, will always and
forever eternally live.
Your daughter,
Helen
