Guadalupe Rios

Guadalupe Rios was a proud mother of nine children, who dedicated her career to Catholic Charities and was the personification of the American Dream. She passed away peacefully on June 27 of complications related to her previous two strokes and a seizure. She literally died of a broken heart following the passing of her eldest son Toby Rios, in January.

Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, she arrived in Hayward, CA in 1958 to pursue a better life for her family. All nine children attended St. Clements and Moreau Catholic High School, and she somehow managed to send all nine children to college as a single mother.

Her cooking was legendary. She could make a meal using simple ingredients and have it taste like a delicacy. Her life was a flurry of activities to make sure that the house was always clean, the kids were fed, and the day always ending with a family rosary. She always found ways to support the family, along with St. Clements parish as the family village.

Guadalupe was intent not to send her kids to public school but instead receive the best education possible. She also lived by example to live her own life to the fullest including her own successful career at Catholic Charities where she was the Director of several programs that provided employment services for people over 55 years old.

She continued to remain very active in the St. Clements community including becoming a founding member of the parish council and the person responsible for ensuring that the parish provided a Spanish-language mass. On weekends, the family would spend their days on a picnic, playing sports together and of course, Sunday mass. She enjoyed listening to music, especially mariachi music from her birthplace along with an occasional song by Luis Miguel, John Denver, or Anne Murray.  She also loved most cooking shows and definitely would have given any of them a run for their money. And she had many friends and networks who helped her along the way. She spent over 15 fabulous years at Kottinger Gardens in Pleasanton, CA and following her first stroke, moved to Cogir of Stock Ranch in Citrus Heights, CA.

She also was able to experience many milestone events including several visits with President Biden, the welcoming reception for Pope Francis at the White House and most recently, a backstage experience with Alejandro Fernandez who asked for her blessing. She was a force to be reckoned with, & the world is a much better place because of her.

She is survived by her children, Ofelia, Jaime, Mary, Irma, Rosie, Angel, Ray, and Maggie. She is also blessed with 13 glorious grandchildren, Patrick, Gio, Chris, Garrison, Michael, Justin, Alexis, Ariel, Joey, Tyler, Brooke, Alia, and Carlee and three great grandchildren, Avery, Bella, and Adam, all of whom are all the light of her life. She gave them the prospect of a better life in the land of opportunity and her impact to the community and her family will always live through them and everyone she has touched. Services will be held at St. Clements Church on Thursday, July 13 at 11:00 a.m. followed by the burial at Holy Sepulchre in Hayward, CA. Flowers and cards can be sent to Holy Sepulchre c/o Molly Rogers, 1051 Harder Road, Hayward, CA 94542.

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