Mary  “Rudy” Ramirez of Manteca passed away on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009 at the age of 88.

Mary lived in Manteca for the last 8 months and had previously lived in Stockton for 39 years. She was born in Jerome, Arizona, on Sept. 13, 1920 to parents Simon and Petra Oropeza.

Mary worked for the State of California in the health care field and retired after 40 years of service. She was a past president, vice president and secretary with the CSEA,  member of Comite Mexico de Beneficia as president and treasurer, belonged to the Women’s Democratic Association and was also a member of the Cursillo Movement in the Stockton Catholic Diocese. She was an avid sports fan and volunteered a lot of her time with Little League. She was very active in the political arena and she also loved music, especially the piano and the harmonica. Mary was a very caring, supportive and generous individual. She was well loved and respected by family, friends and by all who knew her and will be greatly missed.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, twin sons Armando and Manuel Ramirez, two brothers and two sisters and also by her husbands, Joe C. Ramirez and Carlos Ayala. Mary is survived by her loving children, Josephine Lambert of Pennsylvania, Mary Karim (Abraham) of Manteca, Carol Migliore of Stockton, Geraldine Osban (Richard) of San Diego, Patricia Bielawski (Kenny) of Suisun City and David Ramirez (Delores) of Roseville; 11 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and 8 great-great-grandchildren

Visitation will be Thursday, Jan. 15, from noon until 5 p.m. A Rosary service will be held Thursday, Jan. 15, at 6 p.m. at DeYoung Memorial Chapel, 601 N. California Street in Stockton. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, Jan. 16, at 10 a.m. at the Church of the Presentation, 1515 W. Ben Holt Drive. Committal will be private.