Ana Maria Barajas de Esparza

Esparza, 66, passed away peacefully in her sleep on August 18th, 2020 at her ranch in Buttonwillow, California. Ana Mara was born in Mexicali, Mxico on December 11th, 1953 to her father Miguel Barajas and mother Maria de la Luz Rico del Rio.



Ana Mara grew up in San Diego Buena Vista, Michoac¡n. She helped raise her eight siblings with her mother, while her father worked in Fresno, California as a migrant Bracero farm laborer. Life in the ranches of Mxico was different than that of the United States. In Mxico, Ana Mara would carry pails of water from the community well throughout the day to drink, bathe, and clean. Washing machines were non-existent, so she would do her entire family's laundry with an unrelenting effort against hard rock surfaces. Ana Mara would also work on her family's ranch and help plant and sow garbanzos, pinto beans, and corn. She would then take raw corn to grind at the tortilleria for masa so that she could make tortillas on the wood-burning stove. Ana Mara worked tirelessly to help raise her eight siblings and support her family, which made her into the matriarch she will forever be remembered as.



Ana Mara married Enrique Esparza in 1971 in San Diego Buena Vista, Michoac¡n. They were happily married for 14 years until his passing in January 1985. During their marriage, Ana Mara and Enrique lived in Nayarit, Mxico for a short period and relocated to Tijuana, Baja California, Mxico where they began a family. While in Mxico, Ana Mara began to sprout roots to lay the foundation for her garden giving birth to; Virginia Esparza, Enrique Esparza, & Jesus Esparza. Soon after Jesus was born, Ana Mara and Enrique immigrated to the Central Valley to work in farm labor as migrant workers. Ana Mara and Enrique worked with undefeatable strength in the cotton fields, grapes, plum trees, and any other agriculture work throughout the Central Valley in towns including; Dinuba, Hanford, McFarland, Shafter, Pixley, and Parlier. Soon after, Ana Mara and Enrique grew their garden grove with more saplings; Jose Esparza, Everardo Esparza, Alonzo Esparza, and Rogelio Esparza.



After a few years of toiling the earth in the Central Valley, Ana Mara and Enrique began their new family home in Buttonwillow, California where they began to firmly extend their roots that began in Mxico. After Enrique's passing, Ana Mara raised her seven children with the unrelenting help of her eldest daughter, Virginia, both working tirelessly to support their family. Ana Mara later sowed three more saplings to her family garden; Pedro Garcia, Monica Garcia, and lastly Erineo Garcia (her 10th child).



Ana Mara, the matriarch of this blossoming garden that is her family, is survived by 8 children, 15 granddaughters, 10 great-grandchildren, 7 siblings, and many close relatives. After an incredible life filled with so much love, laughter, and joy, Ana Mara Barajas de Esparza will be remembered as a hard-working, loving, and inspirational matriarch.



A Viewing and Rosary will be held at Basham and Lara's Funeral Home in Shafter, California on August 29th, 2020 from 5pm to 9pm. A second viewing will be held at Doa Ana's Ranch in Buttonwillow, California starting at 8pm onward on August 30th, 2020. Church services will be held at St. Theresa's Church in Shafter, California at 10am with burial preceding in Shafter Cemetery on August 31st, 2020.