Maria Vela

On December 1, 2022, our blessed mother, Maria Pruneda Vela, was called to her home in heaven, reunited with her soulmate, Nicolas Vela, who passed away in February of 2012. She was surrounded by her loving children and grandchildren at the time of her death. Maria was born on February 14,1934 in Kingsville, Texas. She was the eldest daughter of Luis Pruneda and Casimira Gonzalez Pruneda. She Married Nicolas Martinez Vela on October 6,1948. As migrant workers, they and their young family traveled throughout the United States following the various crop harvests, ranging from picking oranges in Florida, to cotton in California and Texas, and various farm labor jobs in the state of Washington. Maria and Nicolas, with their children, arrived in Washington in February of 1954 settling in Wapato and then in 1981 in Toppenish, where she raised her children, and helped her husband in his trucking business. She was a homemaker, truck driver, cook and a womens leader in the Templo Berea in Wapato. Maria is survived by her children, Eutimio & Isabel Vela, Isaias & Helen Vela, Arturo & Rosa Vela, Ricardo & Christina Vela, Casimira & Juan Esobedo, Nicolas Jr. & Delores Vela, Benita & Claudio Garza, Aurora & Miguel Rodriguez, Luis & Thonna Vela, Marylou & Raul Marquez, Elias & Sophia Vela and Jesus & Jaime Vela. 42 grandchildren, 64 great grandchildren, and 12 great-great grandchildren. Maria was preceded in death by her husband Nicolas Vela, her son Evaristo Vela and three grandchildren Isaias Jr. Vela, Avito Vela, Claudia Maria Garza and Son-in-law Ricardo Sandoval. Celebration of life Service will be Tuesday, December 6, 2022 at Templo Christiano de Alabanza 1031 E McDonald Rd Toppenish. Funeral services will be Wednesday, December 7, 2022 10:00 am Christian Worship Center 204 Cheyne Rd Zillah, WA. Valley Hills Funeral Home is in car of the arrangements. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Maria Vela, please visit our flower store.