Luz Juarez

Luz Juarez, age 84, of Willmar, died Monday evening, March 12, at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar.

Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Friday, March 16, at the Encore Center of the Assembly of God Church in Willmar. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.

Luz Ramona Juarez was born February 14, 1934, in Cotulla, Texas, the daughter of Isabel and Saila (Verastigue) Santoya. At the age of 18, she moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she lived for 15 years. She then lived in North Carolina for a few years before moving to Mercedes, Texas and later Weslaco, Texas. In 1982, she moved to Willmar, Minnesota. In Willmar, she worked for the Willmar Regional Treatment Center as a Human Services Technician and as a Dietician until her retirement.

Luz was the rock for her children. She was very protective of her children and they always knew they were loved. She raised her daughters to be strong women and her sons to be loving men. She was very kind, but feisty. She was a hard worker and enjoyed caring for others. She loved to cook, especially Sunday suppers for her entire family. To know her was to love her.

She is survived by her three sons: Onesimo Juarez, Jose (and Marta) Juarez and Rojelio (and Shauna) Juarez; five daughters, Maria Flores, Sylvia (and Raul) Rodriguez, Zoila (and Frank) Perra, Elia Juarez (and Mynor Ramirez), and Sylvia Jaurez (and Donnie McPhearson); her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers: Junior Santoya and Rojelio Santoya; and a sister: Lorraine Santoya.