Connie Salazar Rubio, our beloved Mom was welcomed into Heaven on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, at age 94. She passed peacefully, and remarkably so, on the feast day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Although the heartache of the loss of our precious Mother, Sister, Grandmother (including all her extended family) will remain with us, we are comforted in knowing that she is reunited with many loving family members in Heaven.

Connie was born on Oct. 21, 1925 in Seeley, California, to Ygnacio S. Salazar and Sacramento A. Salazar. She was the eldest of four children. Her youth was spent in the California’s Imperial Valley, with frequent trips to Mexicali with her family and working in the farming community.

She attended Acacia Elementary School in El Centro, California, and enjoyed playing on the girls’ softball team; any other free time was spent working in the fields with her siblings on her father’s farm.

Through family and friends’ gatherings, Connie met her husband Ralph B. Rubio, and they were married in Yuma, Arizona, in 1945. Ralph and Connie were blessed with eight children. After living in the Santa Maria area, the family settled in Nipomo, California, in 1962.

Connie was the core of the family and the life of the party. Family and friends experienced the warm welcome to her home; she cooked and barbecued all the time, and we were always serenaded with the singing of Mexican songs by her and her sisters Francis and Margarita, and her brother Alfred (Nino) playing the guitar and accordion.

In later years, the three sisters were lovingly called “The Golden Girls.”

In addition to raising her family, we were so proud when Connie worked as a librarian at Dana Elementary School in Nipomo. Connie enjoyed listening to Mexican music, as well as American music (her favorite song was “Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison); she had quite a vinyl record collection.

After the passing of her husband Ralph in 1998, she relocated to Santa Maria and lived with her devoted daughter Lilly and son-in-law Sal for 20 loving years — and the social gatherings for family and friends happily continued, which was such a blessing.

Connie will be fondly remembered for sacrificing her needs for the good of her family and her unconditional love; her strength, independence and determination (which through example she passed on to her children); her trademark dimple (which caught your eye whenever she smiled); her radiant beauty; and her stunning silver hair.

Preceding Connie in death are her parents Ygnacio and Sacramento Salazar, her husband Ralph B. Rubio, her brother Alfred A. Salazar, daughter Josie Lopez and son George S. Rubio.

She is survived by her six children Ralph Rubio, Jr. (Irene) of Bakersfield, Lilly Gomez (Sal) of Santa Maria, Stella Rodriguez (Juvie) of Arroyo Grande, Susan Padilla (Robert) of Palm Desert, Connie Padilla (Rudy) of Santa Barbara and Gloria Wilson (Dave) of Georgetown.

Connie also leaves behind her sisters Frances Quezada and Margarita Bonillas; sister-in-law Mary Salazar; 26 grandchildren; 48 great-grandchildren; 20 great-great grandchildren; two great-great-great grandchildren,; and many loving nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Services will be on Thursday, Aug. 27 at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, 414 E. Church St., Santa Maria; rosary will be prayed at 8:30 a.m. with Mass celebrated at 9 a.m. Burial immediately following at the Santa Maria Cemetery, 1501 S. College Drive.

In lieu of flowers, please consider having a Mass offered in her name (which can be requested at a Catholic Church of your choosing). Much love and sincere appreciation to all who have reached out to our family during this time.

To leave a condolence for the family, visit www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com.