A Love Story of Long Ago (by Becky Shokrian)

Mom told me this story of how she met my dad. Mom's name is Rebeca Marroquin Alvarez de Ramirez and she was born on the King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas on March 16,1908 and was buried on April 15, 1994 just about ten years ago this year. My mother who was the only daughter of Josefa Marroquin Alvarez and Gerardo Alvarez had five brothers: Rodolfo, Ernesto, Guadalupe, Arturo and Gerardo. Her mom Josefa became a widow in her 30s when my mom was quite young so she never got to really know her dad. Mom would tell me "naci sin un padre". Grandma Josefa was a seamstress and the best according to my mom. She could look at a picture of a dress and then go and make one just like it. She was very strict and ran a tight ship as mom would say. The kinenos wanted to take Mom away to be educated in the East because she was so beautiful as a child and as a young lady.  My grandma told them where they could go for she was not about to lose her only daughter. You see Grandma was very possessive and very protective of my mom.  After grandpa Gerardo died,  my grandma moved to Lee Street with her family. She worked hard to support her big family. Mom had 2 German Shepherd dogs who paraded around their humble house and she would sit on the porch after doing her chores and watch people go by and play with the dogs. I suppose there was not that much to do in those days other than work hard all day long. At any rate one day these two young boys passed by the house on their way somewhere down the street. My mom was 15 years old at this time. All it took was one look at my dad, who at this time was 18 years old and as I recall was visiting relatives or friends, and she told me she fell in love with my dad. He was walking with his brother Luis. The dogs went wild and continued to bark at them and possibly at anyone who dared walk in front of the house. I cannot remember now what happened next but as mom told me it was my uncle Luis who had a tremendous crush on her but when he realized that Mom had eyes only for my dad he told her one day well, at least you will be in our family. The story goes that because my grandma Josefa did not care for my dad; she did everything she could to discourage the relationship. So for almost eleven years they corresponded by people taking notes to each other. I would love to have one of those notes or letters but they are all lost. Now mom had cousins living here in San Antonio so from time to time she was given permission to come visit Grace. William and Gilbert Alvarez on West Laurel Street. According to my cousin Roger the house was finally demolished but he has some pictures of it. At any rate on one of those visits. my parents met in front of the Alamo where there was a big tree trunk where two people could sit and talk. Today that tree trunk was moved to Brackenridge Park and one can still see that tree trunk and sit. and to think my parents used to sit there.

Well, to make the long story short they finally decided to get married grandma Josefa's approval or not. So my dad came hat in hand and came to my mom's house to ask for her hand in marriage. As Tio Rodolfo was the eldest male , he gave his consent but My mom told me that my grandma walked out the back door and still would not approve of the marriage to be. As it turned out my dad was the best son in law she ever had and helped and took care of Grandma Josefa until she died at age 82 years old. Her last years were spent with tia Minnie's   mom who took care of her until her death. So on January 31st 1935 at a 7pm Mass at San Martin's Catholic Church in  Kingsville, Texas  my parents got married. According to mom it was the biggest wedding Kingsville had seen in years. Tomas Cavazos and her husband gave my parents a wedding cake that fit in a big trunk as mom told me and a wedding reception and dance. The only wedding picture I had faded and could not be restored. But I still have mom's partial wedding veil cap, her rosary and the silver heart shaped box it came in, and her wedding invitation  and her wedding ring of which mom never took off. I remember one time I asked Dad why he and mom had so many kids. He told me in those days we had nothing else to do but have children. I would have had 5 brothers too but one of my brothers Rudy the first died when he was 2 years old. My parents were married 50 years and without talking could read each other's mind. Mom would tell me 'when I am angry with your dad I give him the silent treatment 'and one time a whole week went by without a spoken word. Hard to believe! But she told me that. The picture you see here is their honeymoon in Mexico City at some park. They came back with only 35 dollars to start their marriage. So all in all for almost 70 years my mom loved my dad. and continued to love him until her death in 1994. What more can I say? they were a beautiful couple and gave my brothers and me the happiest time of our lives when we were growing up. May they rest in peace. They are together forever as is on their marker at Roselawn Cemetery in Palestine, Texas.  I MISS THEM DEARLY!