Maria de la Luz Gama Arreola
On Sunday, June 26th, 2022, María de la Luz Gama Arreola passed away at the age of 72. She was born on November 29th, 1950 in Teocuitatlan de Corona, Jalisco, Mexico to Aurelia Valle. She graduated from Hiram Johnson High School in 1969. She was the first in her family to receive a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Social Work from California State University, Sacramento. From 1976-1984, she was married to Ignacio Arreola and they had two daughters. For over 30 years she worked as a Head Start Preschool Teacher and Parent Educator for Sacramento City Unified School District.
She had a lifelong passion for poetry and art. She was a member of Women’s Wisdom Art, El Club Manitos, Escritores del Nuevo Sol, and various 12 Step Groups. Her poem, “Bella” was included in ‘Cantos y Cuentos, the Anthology of the Writers of the New Sun/Escritores del Nuevo Sol’. She was also a huge fan of poetry readings at Luna’s Cafe, the Peanuts, Wonder Woman, and all black cats. One thing she loved most was her family. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for them. For many years she spent her free time enjoying and caring for her mother and grandchildren.
She is survived by her 95-year-old mother, Aurelia, her brother Honorio Carlos Guzman, two daughters, Gloria and Carrie Anne, one niece, two nephews, and seven grandchildren.
