Luz Enriquez

Maria de la Luz Enriquez Rodriguez, age 95, of Woodstock, passed away Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at her home surrounded by her loving family by her side. 

She was born on June 2, 1928 in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico to Domingo Rodriguez and Ramona Guzman de Rodriguez. She married Raul Enriquez in Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, on May 20,1951 when she was 22 years old. They lived in Zaragoza, Chihuahua, Mexico until they immigrated to the United States in 1972.

Raul and Luz settled with their young family in Chicago until 1976 when the family moved to Woodstock and resided there for the remainder of her life.

Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren knew that Luz could always make everything better with a spoonful of sugar. She had a sweet tooth so there was always something sweet to eat at Abuelita’s house even if it meant that she had to sneak a spoonful of sugar when no one was looking. She was a voracious reader with the classics being her favorite and she read both in English and Spanish. She passed on her love of reading and learning to her children and grandchildren.  She would start her day with coffee and the newspaper and she always kept up with current events. She worked hard to ensure that her children remembered their roots and maintained their culture and traditions. She encouraged her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren’s educational endeavors and instilled in them the importance of civic engagement in their communities. 

She will be remembered in Woodstock for her acts of service to her family, friends and community as well as her homemade flour tortillas. It was important to her and her husband that everyone in need should have a safe haven in times of need and held an open door policy in their home to anyone at any hour of the day. She was very involved with her church both at St Pius V Church in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago and at St Mary’s Church in Woodstock with the Hispanic Community. As this community grew in Woodstock she opened her home across the street from the church to serve as the gathering place to hold bible studies, first communion classes, marriage and youth group meetings until the church established the Hispanic Apostolate for St Mary’s. After her retirement Luz worked at Dean Street School as the milk lady for 25 years until she was 84 years old. She loved the daily interaction with the children and she was loved in return.

She is preceded in death by her loving husband Raul, son Pedro, grandson Sgt George Omar, granddaughter Mabel and all of her brothers and sisters.

She is survived by her children Sylvia (Anastacio) Arceo, Roberto (Jeannette) Enriquez, Victor (Cindy) Enriquez, Anna (Alvaro) Enriquez Bermudez, Magdalena (Jose) Rivera, Socorro (Silverio) Zacatzi, Palmira (Karl) Appelquist and daughter in law Eliud (Pedro) Enriquez, 19 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren.

Visitation will be Thursday September 21st from 4-7 pm at Schneider Leucht Merwin Cooney Funeral Home 1211 N Seminary Ave Woodstock, Illinois 60098

Funeral Mass will be Friday September 22nd at 11am at St Mary Catholic Church 312 Lincoln Ave Woodstock, Illinois 60098

Interment will be private.

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