Lilly Duarte Villa

Lilly Duarte Villa, 100, of San Leandro, California, entered the Lord’s Kingdom on September 26, 2024. Lilly was the second of eight children born to Eduardo Simon Duarte and Jessie Martinez Duarte in Moorpark, California, on November 30, 1923.

She spent her childhood growing up in the home her father Eduardo built at 296 Charles Street, attending Moorpark schools, the Mexican Free Methodist church, working in the fields picking walnuts and apricots, and always staying busy with her brothers and sisters, Eduardo, Margarita, Helen, William, Dolores, Benjamin, and Pete.

During World War II Lilly was a Rosie the Riveter Girl representing women’s strength and capability in all fields. She led that life up until her passing. She was a strong and proud woman. She attended Rosie the Riveter memorials at Marina Bay Park in Richmond, alongside her son, Frankie. Can you hear her saying “We Can Do It?”

As a young woman, Lilly and her cousin, Esther Magdaleno worked together at a shipyard in Oakland. They were close and while attending a dance together at the Sweets Ball Room in Oakland, Lilly was introduced to her future husband, Frank Villa, by his brother, Jerry Villa. Lilly and Frank were married in Moorpark on January 19, 1940, until his passing on December 25, 1982. They raised Sally, Frankie, Peggy, and Patricia in their beloved home at 450 Estabrook Street in San Leandro. Lilly watched her children grow and develop just as the area around her did – observing a train station and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) directly across the street from her home; engaging in numerous celebrations as each one of her children completed school, married, and had children of their own.

Lilly worked at Hudson Lumber Company (known for making pencil slats) in San Leandro for numerous years up until she retired at the age of 71. She loved taking walks along the marina and walked two miles a day along the marina where she said as she walked she talked to God. She loved gardening and grew the most beautiful lilies which she loved and admired so much. She tended to her garden where she grew vegetables. She was an avid fan of the Oakland A’s and would cheer them on at the games she attended and from the comfort of her rocking chair in her living room. Go A’s!

A favorite pastime was a labor of love as she crocheted numerous hats, scarves, dishcloths, double thick potholder hot pads, and beautiful blankets. If you are a recipient of these gifts, please cherish them and wear/use them in her memory.

Lilly lived every day in celebration of life. She loved her family and delighted in spending time with them. She was a blessing to all who knew her, and she touched so many lives. She was the matriarch of the Duarte family.

She loved her mother, ‘Mama’ and was a faithful daughter. On numerous occasions she drove alone from San Leandro to Moorpark in her lil’ burgundy Toyota Corolla with a manual transmission - to visit and spend many Christmases in Moorpark with her mother and sister, Helen. In her mother’s elder years, she spent time visiting and caring for her mother alongside her sister, Dee at the Santa Paula convalescent home until Mama’s passing on March 29, 1995.

Lilly shared her wonderful cooking talents making tortillas, tamales, salsas, and creamed potatoes, with her numerous granddaughters and nieces. She always opened her front door to greet and hug you, and without fail always said ‘go eat’ and then ‘go eat some more.’

Lilly was a faithful woman who loved and served the Lord. She was honored to attend, worship and hear God’s word preached at El Shaddai Ministries church. She was cherished and loved by her church family.

Lilly is survived by her daughters Sallie Garcia and Peggy (Richard) Lopez; son-in-law, Anastacio (Junior) Cruz; 10 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and 8 great-great grandchildren. It is needless to say that she will be missed immensely.

She is also survived by her sister, Dolores (Dee) De la Rosa, and brother, Benjamin Duarte.

She was preceded in death by Frank Villa, her husband of 42 years; her son Frankie Villa; her daughter, Patricia Cruz; her parents Eduardo and Jessie Duarte; siblings Eduardo Duarte, Margarita Duarte, Helen Romo, William Duarte, and Pete Duarte.

Isaiah 49:16 reads ‘God has you in the palm of His hand.’ God has truly carried our mother and grandmother in the palm of His hand. On July 7, 2016, she was involved in a head-on vehicle collision. It was only by God’s grace that she survived the accident with eight broken ribs, a collapsed lung, bruised chest, and unable to speak due to being intubated. Yet – she was alert and there was joy in her eyes as she reached to hold the hands of those visiting her in the hospital. As family left the hospital she would raise her hand and lift her pointer finger as a sign of surrender to God. Even then she was ministering to her family. She always kept a copy of the Daily Word in her restroom and would often purchase and share Daily Word booklets with family.

She knew that God's infinite goodness surrounded her, and she never failed to tell us she loved us, prayed for us, and that God is good! 

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