RamonaParra1

SPEAKERS

Victoria Almaguer, Daughter, Ramona Parra

 

Victoria Almaguer  00:00

So to start with and then what I'm going to do is when when you're answering the question, I'm gonna mute myself. Okay? Just because it's gonna switch to when I'm talking.

 

Ramona Parra  00:27

Okay, okay.

 

Victoria Almaguer  00:28

All right. So well Yay, it's nice to meet you both. Are we gonna do? Are you gonna be asking questions or? Okay, very good. I have a have the questions right here. Okay, good. It's just 13 questions, okay. But you can expand on anything that you think would be best or anything that you might remember a little bit better. I don't know if do you would you want for me to email, email the questions to you or send you a picture through the phone? No, that's fine. Go ahead and ask them. Okay. All right. And then later on, just email them because that way we want to know, and we remind ourselves how she spoke. Okay, okay. Yes. Okay. And also, I'm just going to be on the side in case. Two, we need clarification on something. But she's going to be doing mainly the all the speaking. Okay. All right. No problem. Yes. That's perfectly fine. Okay. Are you ready? Yes. Okay. Awesome. So can you introduce yourself? First and Last Name and when you were born?

 

Ramona Parra  01:41

Oh, well, my name is Ramona Barbara. Well, Ramona G. And my birthday. My birthday is on December the 31st. I was born in 1926.

 

Victoria Almaguer  01:59

Awesome. Okay. And can you tell me the names of your parents?

 

Ramona Parra  02:03

My parents was Thomas and Felipa Gonzalez. Awesome. Okay. Um,

 

Victoria Almaguer  02:12

the one of the first questions that we had for the residents was growing up San ELizario. Who do you remember was the oldest member of your family? It could be it could be your grandma, it could be your mom. And

 

Ramona Parra  02:33

My grandparents like yours, for I don't know how, how they would be right now. I know there are hundreds. But I don't know how they were open before they died. But it was interesting. Because I remember when my when my mother used to tell my mother was born in Moran said it so now in 1903. Because her father, this group of people have managed so nearly got two together to go work at the copper mines in Arizona. And of course, they took their wives their family. So my mother tells me she was born there in in their in moments. And my grandmother had a hard time. Imagine going by a wagon, and she was already pregnant. And she got cooked up the big suitcase. I tried. Okay, your trunk full of bread. So they could at least have enough bread to eat on the way over there. So when they were already there in the first date, she noticed that the the word that Brad was going real fast until they had a little boy and her husband and herself. Well, finally to find out that my grandfather was even out bred to the guys that went with our wives. And they had a baby you know how to cook. So he was at least near them. Break. Okay, that's the story of my mother. And then there was just gonna ask you the questions I

 

Victoria Almaguer  04:41

don't know continue. Is there another story that you wanted to say?

 

Ramona Parra  04:45

Well, I remember the first thing I have in my mind to tell you was the patron saint of San ELizario was well San Isidro. He loves the patrons At the farmers is the patron saint of the farms. And every year they used to take into five farms. Around Sunday up, they were very far from each other. To have it bless, used to spray you know, I looked it up holy water on the land.  That was the customer many years ago when I was growing up and still when I was married, they still they used to do that. I don't remember when they they quit doing that to bless the farms. But I remember I remember my my grandma. Also tell me that that during the World War One that was the there was one, one boy from Trump's or nearly a bear, right. His name was Antonio Degas. And he was killed in action during World War One. And they took him to those from overseas and they brought him down by train to claim Texas as the train pass to clean and he still has the transplants to claim Texas. And it's up close close to San Eli , he arrived. The body arrived by train at the train station.  And his brother in law went to pick him up in a wagon because he didn't have a truck. They didn't have a car at that time in 1918. A few people have cards in San Eli. And the ones that had the more very small cards, they could take them kill him borrow them because they were too small.  So he went to pick up the coffin in a wagon. And the soldiers were ready for him the train had stopped there. Usually, you normally stop at claim to deliver mail and pick up mail. So they were waiting, they were ready with the body to put it in the wagon and and then they put out course that the coffin was wrapped up in the American flag. And then they soldiers gave the driver of the wagon, couple of .   At that time they used when somebody died in the family those days. Those years far away. They used to put black wagons, I mean most of black most of the doors of the family that had somebody that passed away. So then Mr. Mr. Lawyer decided to put the wagon the balls on the wagon. So they took him he took that straight to them standard stereo church. He was from sundown to Seattle, the boy and he was a first soldier who wants was placed inside the Sun Seattle church for the service. But that was during World War One. And

 

Daughter  08:41

there's a correction of that he was not killed in action. He actuallydied of influenza.

 

Victoria Almaguer  08:48

Okay, okay. And that was that was Mr. Antonio Tellez is right.

 

Daughter  08:53

Antono Tellez Correct. Okay. Okay, we're one better

 

Victoria Almaguer  08:57

because I know there was one Antonio but I think that was from Miss Katie side. Right. Great. halvah that died in World War Two. Correct. Okay. Okay. Do two different Antonios. Okay.

 

Daughter  09:10

Yeah, this one is our World War One.

 

Ramona Parra  09:15

Okay. Okay. But But imagine in those days, it was not strange, that people that were, you know, that were sort of waiting outside the church to see the horse wagon, because hardly nobody had cars, trucks at that time. But now petrol would be very, very funny, or very old. Just look at vindman Isn't that anyway? Consider asking the question. She's gonna ask you more questions. Go ahead and pull with another question.

 

Victoria Almaguer  09:55

That is all very interesting, because I was gonna ask you about how it was Growing up during the World War, World War One World War Two, if there were any events that you remember, that happened during that time, because many people like me, I didn't live through that. But I hear them through, you know, through or read them through their textbooks.

 

Daughter  10:17

Right?

 

Ramona Parra  10:20

When family, just remember him day on set, Antonio it can relentless search will get where you're at, they can learn and they search. But he was not married. He was he was single. And if you have a younger brother, an older sister, who is when she was married, and her husband was the one who had a wagon, a horse is meant to pick him up. So I didn't, I didn't, I was very, of course, I was not born during the team. But I got to know them afterwards when they, you know, they were very old. And I was very

 

Victoria Almaguer  11:07

Yes, totally, totally. Um, do you recall when you were growing up? Because I asked this to every member that I speak to? Was there a family tradition? Because of what you were the youngest of your family?

 

11:26

Think so. He already Oh,

 

Ramona Parra  11:30

yeah. Yeah, you were the old and I have both two cousins. Well, I was older. My family of my father and my mother. I was the old version. You're the oldest child? Yes. Okay.

 

Victoria Almaguer  11:43

All right. Do you recall growing up in sanity Sadio any should ditions Do you would have as a family like going to the Fiesta dies or you know farming with

 

Ramona Parra  11:55

There was  another thing every time every time we have stops on San Elizario in September they always used to have a PS that Joe's been on a procession and around the clothes going on that we used to go me and my cousin since that's the only child my my father my mother's side. But I have customers that live nearby so we used to go to the wheel ranches to get to the Fiesta few days before we weren't scientist own so we could go to the place

 

Victoria Almaguer  12:41

Was there was there a specific traditional food that you always remember maybe your mom cooked in maybe somebody specific cook did

 

Ramona Parra  12:53

I mean Was there a specific kind of food that Chema would cook for you? Oh yeah, well what I like best and she we have counts. And she made she made outside arrows or cheese depending if she's talking more somebody but more milk she made up Sudan on so if she had enough blood on nails nobody bought it. She had to make cheese. So man I really don't want to let that not the cheese that the Assad arrows are he was doing a lot of survey also. Don't please don't offer me anything anymore. Okay.

 

Victoria Almaguer  13:44

Did you learn how to make them or Was that enough? You were like no more. I don't even want to learn them.

 

Daughter  13:50

It did you learn how to make a survey

 

Ramona Parra  13:52

those? Well, I used to help them. When I grew up on numbers that teenager I used to help her but she could read manage the hot, the hot when the cheese was getting ready to pick it up and make me upset. I couldn't handle the fact that part of what they were very like. So what is cleaning in Colorado supposed to do and and get everything ready. But I used to sell them. I used to go door by door to sell them. And I was very glad because before I got to the church were challenged with churches. Of course, there was this man that his wife was was in bed for 12 Every state and he said how many hours I've ever do I have sometimes I just had six left. And he bought the mall and if I had more if he knew somebody who used to be blind, so I was very glad.  Last week his name was Manuel Madrid and he was related to a lot of the Madrids here in San Eli. And what other animals did you have in the farm? Well, everybody at that time when they used to have horses to plow to plan the car, the fields that they have belts and Harley, they have the farmer's Harley have, at that time, any tractor, so they have horses, and of course the cows that give them milk. And just for fun May when we used to keep one or two cheap, but we didn't know what we did like it like different tastes like cheaper than cheap milk cheap. So and when, of course the chickens my mother and daddy raised turkeys too.  They used to sell alarm, turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas. And I felt so sorry, my mother had to kill her treat an orator. She said a whole that whole the purpose that no I called at the tension was on a chocolate we had I could let it go. And she got kind of upset. I remember one Thanksgiving, there used to by the Turkish, even the school teacher used to come back Turkey from the farm. And my mother's sacred Turkey Morales. And then when she was on appeal it she put the chip up every great to do that. She put the turtle under up top. And that was she asked me to see them upside down, of course. But Mark the purpose start making trying to get out of there in economic class. And my mother was ready. She's the head of the turkey out of the fina out of the top to chop it down. But of course is that Turkey was not feeling comfortable. So he was making a lot of racket underneath the tub. And I decided to get up here and go and ensure he went there. My mother got so upset and I had to run to get the trachea again. She was so upset because she was ready to chop it up. So she never asked me to hold the turkey anymore. Well, I'm sorry. We raised them since the babies since they were growing up and so cute. To chop the head off to eat. No. So I'm gonna pinch to Ghana. I've married somebody that didn't have one. 

 

Victoria Almaguer  17:56

Yeah, that would be me. i When time for Christmas, there was the they wanted to slaughter a pig in the house. But their mistake was they had it here for three days. And I love pigs. Imagine me hearing the pigs suddenly crying because they were killing it. It was horrible. I was like never again. No, no, no.

 

Ramona Parra  18:22

Can you remind me that we launched on day one. There is a fix to not very many, but they used to kill one. Like before. before Thanksgiving. Of course when I was in store or very small. My mother did let me when I was born, she didn't let me go. And when my father was not so brave, because somebody else was someone who should they used to shoot the pic.  And then there's killing me and everything and when it massive wants. Oh my god, she just helped my mother cleaned up some pants and all that. But when they made that she'd Sharon names. Of course I started to like them. And then my mother said yeah, you see and you don't want them to keep now How come you're reading that she cannot run it. Oh my god. Yeah.

 

Victoria Almaguer  19:20

You know what Miss Margie? It says that our meeting is going to end in 10 minutes. So what are we? So I'm gonna have to send you another link. Okay, yes. And then hopefully we can we can.

 

Daughter  19:36

Do you want to continue this whole 10 minutes or you want to stop? No when we start one? Um

 

Victoria Almaguer  19:43

Let's stop now and restart one. Okay, let me stop .

 

RamonaParra2

SPEAKERS

Victoria Almaguer, Daughter, Ramona Parra

 

Victoria Almaguer  00:00

Sorry about that. Okay. Um, so, um, one of the next questions that I have for you Miss Barbara is, um, what was the most exciting event that ever occurred in Santa beside you when you were growing up?

 

Ramona Parra  00:22

Well, as a small community as a small town, we used to have the guest that's in September. And I couldn't that was. That was, you know, we really were looking forward. You're also funny. We used to make fun of each other. We weren't in school. By the way. Did you get a new dress for the September fiesta? As can each other? No, I haven't. Yes. My mother went and she got me a new dress for back in the day of the tapes. That were the tools of watch teenagers. When we were in school, eighth grade now. Maybe I didn't challenge that we had an earthquake laughing and Stan was about the only one. The earthquake in 1931.

 

Victoria Almaguer  01:21

Okay, I did not know about that.

 

Ramona Parra  01:24

Yeah. This paper I wrote. I had written for it came from it was here from Texas coming from, from the en of Texas. So So I think I don't know how it went. But it passed San Eli in 1931. Never quick.

 

Daughter  01:46

And entire what happened that evening? Because it's here that night?

 

Ramona Parra  01:50

Yes. Well, that's why the mother, we did. Because the US side was the only child when somebody passed away, although young, normal man or woman, they have to go to Rose bagels to have the week at the house might have married the church like they do now. So of course, they had to drag me to, to go to them. Okay, so as my mother was still avoiding go during the night of earthquake, but my father did and my cousins, and they said they were the man at that time. And if anyone the mother will help the Mother, the Father, make the cup and they have to make that gives a couldn't afford to Obi Wan enough. So I don't know that story. That part.  But anyway, they were making it. And people they didn't have no electricity. So they have lamps, you know that they use on the pump and the water that might that might. So they were holding their lights and people will shop in and get the water together to make the carpet. And the ladies inside this brain and brain, when suddenly they noticed the first thing we'll notice. They felt something on the feet moving up and down. In that same time, that table for the leg. It was a young girl teenager move to move in close to them.  And some of them tried. They can kind of skate like this. And they tried to stand up Ken and the dirt as it was moved with person down there to sit down in a room and it passed right away. But when it was happening, one of the men, they were screaming that one of the men went to the tone said ladies don't be afraid it's an earthquake pitching her weight. And at that time right away, it's passed. So those people were there a quick break for the little girl that the girl passed away. And of course I was sleep at that time. My mother didn't wake me up. But it was kind of scared on buried at that time you have it feels when they're 10 earthquake enables the only gun the only one before an extra. And Ernie came out in the newspaper a few years afterwards.

 

Victoria Almaguer  04:42

Sorry about that my computer's about today. If it's not one thing, it's another but give me a quick second to charge it

 

Ramona Parra  05:00

No I don't remember

 

Victoria Almaguer  05:19

okay, we're okay. It just suddenly said that oh, your your laptop's gonna die. I'm speaking about one of the scariest times. Um, apart from the earthquake that happened. Was there anything frightening that you ever lived through infinity? statio maybe something haunting any ghost stories that you want to talk about?

 

Daughter  05:50

They think no, you don't have anything written there on a ghost story. Anything that you saw or heard that?

 

Ramona Parra  05:57

Well, let me see. The the face so No, no not listen to what she's asking. What was the question? Please?

 

Daughter  06:10

If you remember any ghost stories or any frightening things that happened when you were growing up?

 

Ramona Parra  06:18

Oh, ghost stories. Oh. Well, they used to tell ghost stories. A lot. Our mothers, my aunt, so we could just come in go to bed early. So we will be playing outside invaders to tell stories. And I don't remember how we want to gather. Well, there was I remember my uncle and, and then my uncle and a friend of us. Were working for this. This big farm.  They were working it was not their farm. And they were irrigating in the middle of the night. It started raining and and they they noticed her light blue like fire from them. At the end of the field. There were a lot of bushes and you know growing wild plants they saw a blue light going up like a candle and going down up and down sequined in effect do you see what I've seen input they were working close they were appraisal what they were working towards it and and then a staples rating suddenly just disappeared.  So they said remember where it is this how many feet from from the road believes so to borrow? They say they never they have some you see a light someplace like Black Desert or whatever that he was because it was a very treasure and he rose up very tricky treasure. So they decided next thing they were going to dig a hole there you know we were troubled and things like that to see that maybe that's what he wants. And I can't because it can't have that light but they were not supposed to her ever that this was a couple they wouldn't have supposed to be and towards the end they also and be really brilliant. Yeah. Because they you could not find anything. They didn't find anything. But that story my uncle kept telling us you guys are playing outside and go see if you see a light and blue light let me know to find him a buried treasure someplace because at that time they remember that many many years ago when you go so he's closer to cross the Rio Grande than Lana Nanak French or whatever people to Mexico used to come across and sometimes they used to bury their their gold and things like that before they find you know find some place to stay so that that's a story they have the old times but I never heard somebody finding anything goes and how about the story about the ghost

 

Daughter  09:28

the white lady that they used to call a boybut then you see first acting I have something that's not a ghost story. No.

 

Ramona Parra  09:40

Yeah. When you were already born when they used to carry that story. A lot of people used to see a fine lady and Sunday and and we never did see a white lady but it showed up for her For somebody who had, for example, a house where somebody had died, that meter night special in dark nights that you could see a white lady walking them around that place.  Or if there wasn't an automobile accident, somebody had been killed. They also say they used to see a white lady around that place. But we don't know if we must do or not. But they used to say they're quite late. So you better kids go to bed early can come inside the house. They used to tell us the girls in the white lady will pick you up. So of course, we weren't scared, but we ran out of stories. Oh, finally.

 

Daughter  10:45

Yes. And the reason they they would tell us is because the day we live close to the canal, so ditch writers would go by and that's, they would ask my dad, have you ever seen the white lady? And my dad's going like, what white lady? Yeah, they claim you know, all these people claim that they see it and they she walks from here and goes across the canal. But she's floating. They don't see Pete she just float.  And and she goes across and goes to that tree and she disappears, like if she would go through the tree. So that's why she was called the white lady because they say she was wearing not a long white gown. But they consume it Pete and she would just like float above the road. And they claim that he would come out. Well really neck come up. But that's where they would see her. There was this tree K corner from our house. And that's when they usually would see her she would go across the bridge. And they go straight right into that tree. The thing is, we never saw her sometimes in the summer, we would stay up till one in the morning because we want it to Lady and we never did. So I don't know maybe because we wanted to see her so badly. We never did. But other people claim that they did so I don't know. Who knows. 

 

Ramona Parra  12:06

I remember that. The gun on top of the house on our house, the roof. They were sitting there just waiting for the white lady, but it never showed up. They say the reason that she disappeared naturally he was on more very, very large wall. Very true. That becomes there was very probably buried gold in there. There was a really big clubs in the time of Pancho mija when he used to cross to Sunday live because in that special in that house. It was it was a large adobe house that that there live dot farm guy his name was well I don't remember the name they used to call him. Anyway. My mother used to tell us that story that they they love the neighbors. Remember that they could see insert time start date of the month.  They could see some guys arriving horses and normal them thought that the owner the homeless and American guy, but they used to see a guy a Mexican guy that was the one who got up the first doors knocked the door and the door was open that he looked a lot like Pancho Villa you know itself is fat and everything. And they and that they this guy the owner the house, we let the meal so they believe that the guy's name was Mr. Holmes Holmes the that leads we're very close friend of financial media. And I was telling this this story up to a little friend to a friend younger than myself the other day and she said yeah, I remember that story because my mother said that this guy that used to sell moved to the to Metro homes during the winter for the fire for it chiming in on that. That was the guy he ordered. You bring me for example Wednesday night you bring me Wednesday, I need a load board and that the time when to take the goods and that he didn't receive it he open the door. Well why would you please come back tomorrow? I'm not ready. So don't unload the wood. And anyway, I don't have the money ready. Come back tomorrow.  They have to tomorrow. But we left the door open and the guy that was in the wagon will would also set I saw a gun sitting on the table and they look like Pancho via. So they decided that it was fun for us to base it and buy their vitals and things like that, because when they just hold the farm to this family new family, it was so several. And the lady is missing some several her sons started they need to be the mayor of them close to the, to the house to put the water pump because we all had, we didn't have you know water like we do today they have to put pipes and know that to get water from the earth. That they start, they didn't tend that they were very surprised that they found a lot of boxes. One box is with a new nation all messed up. They were ammunition and they call the market because the cloud was working. They call the mothership never come here. So what we found, we never know when to put a water pump you can see so they start there were important boxes or own, you know, broken and all that. And they put the one that was set up before they had the home started to pick them up and site. And they were they were born deaf. They work hard to shoot the bullet. Okay, and the mother said no, no, no. Don't have food the pump the water pump them no, we'll get poisoned. No, no, dig someplace helped. So they went they went farther around they then they found pieces of rifle. So they figured that the last moment maybe they were catching up the Americans side with that Mr. Holmes and features very rightfully so leftover rifles. He used to sell they'd be up to us to serve the rifles and ammunition to punch up. So, so very this young girl that was telling me the story to choose the choose that my grandfather used to tell the story. So then, you know, then it is true.

 

Victoria Almaguer  17:39

Wow, that is very interesting, man. There's a lot of hidden stories.

 

Daughter  17:45

Yes, and that's where the supposedly the white ghost goes into that tree. And that tree is still there in some areas. It's called Salish road. It'sa huge mulberry tree. So that tree is over 100 years old.

 

Ramona Parra  18:00

 And we used to live before we moved here two months on we used to live on sliders. Close to that to the white lady house.

 

Victoria Almaguer  18:11

She would visit you

 

Ramona Parra  18:17

my two sons. They're the oldest they used to say the white lady amount of quiet Do you want me to come inside so early? Because the quiet lady will catch me. There he was to make fun of the white lady.

 

Daughter  18:34

Okay, we're ready for that next question.

 

Victoria Almaguer  18:36

No, no, it's very interesting. Um, what? Go ahead. I'm sorry.

 

Ramona Parra  18:48

I already told you about your tweak. Yes, you did. Yes.

 

Victoria Almaguer  18:51

Yes. Um, one other question that I have is when you because you did you you guys moved away right from Saturday Saturday? Yes. Okay. Um, you're still here in El Paso but you move

 

Daughter  19:07

away. Right? We live in horizon city. Okay,

 

Victoria Almaguer  19:11

great. Um, when you do come to Santa Teresa, yo, is there a specific spot that you guys always stopped by? Or you always make sure that you visit when you when you go to some any Saturday?

 

Daughter  19:26

When we when we go to Sunday and inquire Do you always like to stop?

 

Ramona Parra  19:31

Well, I like to stop and listen to bass at the church. The first two booths at their church because they're torn i I was baptized. I got married in my church when having sciatica. So there is that up and of course then I go through those four colors. I don't have any more remixes they are by I used to be close to the church. My my godmother used to be there but She passed away many, many, many years ago. So, there we go to the barons. Well, that's what I used to be for. I wasn't the wheelchair. Now. We haven't been there. I haven't been there for three years.

 

Daughter  20:15

Now. It's a miracle a year ago.

 

Ramona Parra  20:18

We've haven't been there a long time.

 

Victoria Almaguer  20:23

Okay, um, is there a, something that was passed down to you, from your family? Like a something meaningful, it could be land or it could be an object or it can be just something that was passed down to you?

 

Ramona Parra  20:43

Well, my only pictures are not only pictures of marrying Jason. In

 

Daughter  20:54

Well, she did inherit some of her father's farm. machinery, some of that. And then she inherited Oh, well. Her great grandma, her grandmother's sewing machine?

 

Ramona Parra  21:11

Oh, yes. Which is very old.

 

Daughter  21:14

It's, you know, it has wood. It's from July 4 of 1889. And that machine actually traveled to Arizona to the copper mines. Where my grandmother would tell us that when her excuse me, her parents, her father went to work over there, where they took their, you know, most of their personal belongings because they didn't know how long they were staying. So she took that sewing machine to Arizona and brought it back. So we have that we have a sterile and Mrs. Mom gave one to my sister. She had three large beautiful pictures of the Holy Family and the Blessed Sacrament. And basically just like old pictures, but I think that was that was it and just her her her much. Oh yeah. And a couple of trunks. I have one that belonged to my great grandmother. And my sister has the other trunk the actual trunk that went to Arizona My sister has that in Arizona, it went back to Zona so yeah, we have a few things that belong to the family bakwin. Yes.

 

Victoria Almaguer  22:28

Wow. And if objects could tell their stories they can imagine what that sewing machine would actually say.

 

Ramona Parra  22:37

It's beautiful because it's all wood and carved even the insurance plan one day one then we can collect the insurance money every month. And it was very cold coming and my husband was still alive. And he knows a sewing machine here. What is beautiful he said it it's a sewing machine. I guess the like old furniture yes it is even with a suit on and you know and tie in everything on the floor to see where we're where you pedal the machine you'd have to run tape which i i noticed they don't know that but I was not interested to keep and written down the year it has the name of the factory that that made it and they do so then Margie or you can do did unroll it and a piece of paper and now I keep it on a drawer because in case other people ask me they admire because now they're sewing machines. moderns I have a matter one but it's part of it is like plastic or something is not pure gold. It is one is carved. So pretty becomes the science of the drop like flowers are like gold and then carved. So it's very interesting.

 

Victoria Almaguer  24:08

Yeah, and before they would make everything with such details and stuff, which makes everything more beautiful. Okay, um, one other question that I have for you is if you were to write a book about your memories of Sunnyside you What would you name the book?

 

Daughter  24:30

What would you name the book if you were if you were able to write a book about your memories?

 

Ramona Parra  24:37

Memories, memories and stem and recycle? Okay. I think because I still remember a lot of my you know, my hometown, I want to start I went to school there. My words we do not belong. We moved here, what 22 years ago in 1989. We'll clear and land on land people sold last year, which was, you know, yeah,

 

Daughter  25:13

she she inherited the land. And then she transferred that land to my two brothers. And they, they just sold it this year. One sold it last year at the end of the year and my other product just sold it at the beginning of the year.

 

Victoria Almaguer  25:28

Okay, okay. Um, was there a question that you wish you could have asked a family member before they passed away?

 

Daughter  25:41

It's through a question that you would have liked to have asked one of your family members, Shama that your deal needed anyone? What would have been?

 

Ramona Parra  25:55

I don't think so. Because my uncle was

 

Daughter  25:59

helper asking to me a laptop at church in quantity.

 

Ramona Parra  26:04

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, I forgot. Also, I don't have the date the year. But the church in Calabria that maybe you have been in there, but it's a little town, small town, before getting into payments, from Sunday to payments will tell you quite a bit. And the church there is there. It's named St. Joseph church. And it was built my grandparents. And my, to me as the older one, my father was the youngest of that family. But the older brothers have, my grandfather built that little church, because there were three houses. And well, the ladies needed one in the church because I had to walk to like Islam. That's another town, close to the river. And then our father go to famous, so they built that little church, its name is St. Joseph. And, and, and my grandma, the land was belonged to my grandfather. And she's buried in front of the church in the front of the door of the church. And we owe once in a while to you know, put flowers on the crops and things like that. But now, it seems that we haven't

 

Daughter  27:30

been there. Yet. And because my I'm called the one my mom mentioned to me, and they moved to California, basically, most of the family that looks at us on my grandfather's site, moved to California back in the early 1920s. And they stayed there, they never moved back to Texas. So we, you know, they would go visit everything. So one of the trips, my my uncle Miguel, mentioned that, you know that that land was donated by his parents and all this to build a church, etc. So when we got older, maybe 1512 years ago, we wanted to do research and just get official documents saying that lamb Watts is and then he donated? Well, I've been calling the diocese, and I can't, we can't find anything. And so it's like, we just want it to have a document showing that he did donate that. But we haven't been able to. So you know, that way? You know, we didn't think about it, asking him all these questions. Maybe that would help because I'm even trying to get like, back in the day, what was the address or something? What did they call that street? And I keep coming to dead end. So those are the questions. We wished we had asked him that we we tend to now it's like, I don't know if we'll be able to get any answers. Oh.

 

Ramona Parra  29:03

So I understand. I don't have written down here. The first church in the North Valley Catholic Church. Well, Sunday, Saturday. Oh, of course. Then it was a one to three little houses there. But they built a little church. We went there about five years ago. Because I remember I was walking with a cane you were older. And we went to a funeral there somebody that was close to us. My neighbor was the father. They will if you wanted to be buried there because he was from LA he's but it's so funny that in records they say the second limb church after Sunday, for to build after Sunday. And then the day skate The one song called Seven by Vidya. And then they say that third one was watching in payments. That was the last one in that area. And also, it wasn't funny the other day that it was not completely finished. And it's all our churches or events, I guess, money once or things like that they didn't finish. The floor was very poor anymore. Naturally, it was in the during the War, Second World War, when they have when they brought some priests, German, Japanese prisoners, to favorites to help pay cut and things like that to the farmers that they weren't the ones who help finish that church in payments. So I was surprised I have never heard that story. And I read it in the newspaper.

 

Daughter  31:06

You have more questions?

 

Victoria Almaguer  31:08

I have two more, but I know that that were Yeah, go ahead. Okay. Um, the last two that I have was and I was actually about to ask you about how to World War Two affect your family? Or how to do you remember what were two?

 

Ramona Parra  31:24

Well, it was I had one go to Cozzens them went to work about two second world war. And one of them on my father's side. He was one of the signers, he came back healthy. On my mother's side, he was killed in action. So you know, that was so terrible to us. And when we had to be cut in to help, because it will hardly nobody else to help because there were not enough people then, and things like that. But we didn't have enough food or the farmers raised corn and squash a lot of food. So So we raised sheep, and so we had plenty to eat at that time. Of course, there was rational coffee and sugar and things like that. But aside didn't drink coffee. So Mike coupon for copies helped my mom and my dad because I didn't drink Coke. And when we were just waiting because alarm boys from San le went to work and a lot of a lot of them died over the years. So

 

Daughter  32:47

why don't you tell her about Julian's uncle and dad that they met over there. Oh,

 

Ramona Parra  32:56

my husband was the one that were my husband's side of the primary. There were five brothers. And none of them went to or my husband was a fourth in the family. And he never liked want to talk about it now. And but really am smother Fina. Oh, she could never take no for an answer. You know. She used to go to the bars and Somalis at the time. When the war was over. There was two bars and they used to go to one to save a lot of guys that come back from war. It's to get together there you know, and look for they come they used to call my husband bonito because with a very short his name was the piano. But his nickname was Pano and they call him funny. Because she was Lillian's mother Lucas bonito here in looking for planning.  So one day, she found him in the other bar where she was having because gladed sold enchiladas and things like that. And she said close to the right bonito, please tell me about my brother because pinas youngest brother was killed in action that you saw that he was because he wrote to my mother and said that she saw you and and she did. And and my husband didn't have any mother because 20 Years Younger brother was born, the mother died in childbirth. So he was raised by aunts and cousins. And so he said, Yes, I did see him How did you see him but see very see. Big heroes ongoing. How did you know he looked fine, the same unhappy?  Because he was a very happy guy and very handsome. The only thing is He had blond curly hair, and and he hardly had any evidence to change. And he was a soldier. And he was, it had been raining three days mattress and dig the foxhole, like to call it foxhole. But the way they describe them to me. That was like a Danish education. And they use theirs. They were building those because they were soon they point out that German was coming close closer to them. So and my husband was saying that Tang, the first time I heard back because he never like to talk about that. And that is the one that was prime in that time. He said, You guys never told the back. You guys better they're out and stretch your legs. Because I don't know when we're gonna be able to get out of this.  Be sure you think of rifles and button to check ins. It's cold outside Exactly. But even to it was not raining at that time. So for him was working, and you weren't you were to the right or you got to the left of the side of the tank. Sometimes I call him to come and give insight. So my husband was right, it was walking on the right side of the tank. And look in everybody's way we will see each southern state people they know what they put soldiers and they were together. So they were wishing the best for each other to suddenly jump out of the foxhole. And and said Funny, funny to my husband. And he ran to him with his arms are stretched to hug him and my husband to put like this because he was told Mario's journey. How could he get like that? And the guy stopped. Oh my God, but he was gonna help and walk with him a little space. They call him back. Come back here you here to a job because they're really working hard on the thing that they used to call them potholes. And is that that was she wrote? She wrote mother that was liens on code I'm talking about

 

Daughter  37:30

by what is his name? Get into Victoria. Who is his name? Tony. Okay, Tony what?

 

Ramona Parra  37:36

I'm Antonio Grijakva. Okay. Antonio Grijalva. And he wants them. He was very close when I used to call him well, we can most of the girls. Hi Tony. Very handsome guy. And And my husband said my poor guy shaved off his area. Curl 20 slung at the left because remote Israel at the World War. And he wrote his mother that he had seen my husband and my husband wrote his sister. Oh my so Tony halwa. We we walked we talked a little bit about Sunday if we work together a little bit and we wish them they wish each other the best. But to me they'll come home. That was really on Sunday. That they have the house and they used to bring the plaster suck if it comes I remember my mother and I went to the wakeup the house and the mother wants Of course everyone cried and all that