Nena passed away at home early in the morning of March 24. Born Magdalena Ramos Alvarado on August 15, 1930 in Santa Ynez, Nena was the household name given by her parents, Feliciano and Vicenta Alvarado.
Magdalena lived to be 95 years old. She was third in line of the Alvarado family, which spans seven generations in Santa Barbara County. Her grandfather Andres Alvarado is buried at the Calvary Cemetery in Santa Barbara, and her grandmother Isabel Alvarado is buried inside the grounds of the Santa Inés Mission. She had six sisters and three brothers. Nena leaves behind a multitude of nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members — many of whom she helped raise, including me.
Born into a traditional American family that worked on different farms and ranches throughout the County of Santa Barbara. Nena inherited strong family values and a firm spiritual foundation. She never married, yet she allowed her Catholic faith to guide her throughout life. Being the daughter of devoted parents means that she was showered with a love that remains strong today. She responded by committing the first 65 years of her life to her parents. Along with her sister Petra, they both dedicated their lives to their home with their parents, ensuring that Chano, as Feliciano was nicknamed, and Vicenta lived with the best support and care any loving parents could ask for. The life dedication she gave to her parents is an astonishing example of a child honoring their parents, a closeness that is rarely seen today.
She attended Guadalupe Union Public School and finished her formal education through the 10th grade at Santa Maria High School. Magdalena always worked to support her parents up until their passing. She worked in the fields picking produce or in the packing sheds of the Santa Maria Valley. She later became a housekeeper for various agencies, notably 15 years at Marian Extended Care. She understood her role in life, which was more than bringing home a check every two weeks.
Magdalena was a very disciplined person. She had a diligent character and was always quick to speak her mind. She lived with pride and dignity knowing that she was helping her mom and dad keep the family home healthy and clean. There was an innate routine that she inherited growing up watching her elders greet each day. They would start with a prayer as the morning sun slowly peeked through her bedroom window. Most days she would come home tired and stained by the day’s work. Yet, she would change clothes quickly and would start scrubbing her work clothes by hand with a washboard. The next thing you knew, her clothes would be hanging from the clothes line in the backyard.
Once retired, Magdalena lived a quiet life in the family home along with her sisters Petra and Perfecta and her brother Andres. The family home in Guadalupe will never be the same with her passing. She had moved into the home with her parents in 1961 after it was purchased brand-new by her brother Andres after serving in the Air Force. Prior to that, the family started out living in a train car when her dad worked for Pacific Railroad in the 1920s. Moving into a modern home 40 years later was a very proud moment for the Alvarado family.
She took pride decorating the home with family pictures showcasing the Alvarado family history in Santa Barbara. The living room looked like a photo gallery, with a large portrait of her parents above the fireplace. She embodied so much of what it means to be an Alvarado. She leaves a void that will always echo with the love she carried for her family. Magdalena was not a person who thought too much of the outside world. Perhaps her biggest thrill was eating strawberry shortcake with homemade whipped cream. She would watch the news and wonder why the world was “so crazy.” The tranquility of living in a small farm town like Guadalupe sheltered Magdalena’s imagination. However, she created a beautiful life for herself by always being there for her family. Whether through hard work or through her private prayers, Magdalena was a fire keeper for the family. She kept watch and always made sure the foundation underneath her family would never be broken.
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