Dolores “Lola” Witko

Mrs. Dolores "Lola" (Medina) Witko, 101 years old and a long time resident of Claremont, Calif., passed away on June 1, 2024. She was born on September 30, 1922 in Levy, New Mexico.

"Lola," was a daughter of the large Medina family of northern New Mexico. She was a descendant of the first Spanish settlers to the "Kingdom of New Spain" in 1598. Around the mid 18th century, the family settled in Las Trampas and the surrounding villages. This fertile land was located on the western slopes of the enchanted Sangre de Cristo Mountain range. In 1900, her grandparents moved the family East of the mountain range to became homesteaders in Levy, New Mexico Territory. The family multiplied into a large community by 1912, when President William Taft signed the New Mexico statehood bill. "Lola" and her fourteen siblings were born and raised in the home built by her father and uncles.

She and her siblings attended school in a tiny schoolhouse on the homestead land. When public schools were build, her father and uncles took turns busing the children of Levy and surrounding villages to the nearby town of Wagon Mound.

"Lola" graduated from Wagon Mound High School in 1939, then moved in with her older sister, Marie, to work and find love in Las Vegas, N.M. At about the same time the young, handsome Carlos Montoya Padilla, had just moved in with his older sister, Josephine Padilla Maes. They lived blocks from each other when they began dating, fell in love and eloped in July of 1940.

The following year, their first child, Rebecca was born. Soon after her birth, U.S. involvement in WWII was escalating and Carlos was drafted to serve. When the war ended, they had two more children; Richard in 1947 and Charlene in 1948. The next year they moved to California to raise their family. Their marriage ended after 20 years.

"Lola" found love a second time around at age 40, when she marry Nickolas Witko in 1962. They bought a home and settled in Lakewood, Calif. They were happily married for 24 years, until he passed away in 1986.

We will always remember her resourcefulness, ingenuity and creativity. She was an expert seamstress, who could alter almost any garment, or make something new from something old. She was always a devoted wife and loving, caring mother. We will forever cherish the memories of our precious mother.

"Lola" is survived by her daughters, Rebecca Cervantes, wife of Raoul E. Cervantes of Claremont, Calif., Charlene Padilla of Ontario, Calif.; her son, Richard Padilla of Ontario, Calif.; four grandchildren; ten great grandchildren; one great-great granddaughter; a long time care giver and dear friend, Frankie Marchant; and a multitude of nieces and nephews.

"Lola" is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Nickolas; her first-born grandson, Raoul E. Cervantes Jr. of Claremont, who passed away in 2021; her parents Jose Demetrio and Beneriza Martinez Medina of New Mexico; her brothers, Jose Fliciano "Joe", Jose Ignacio "Albert," Macario "Mac," Agustin, Jose Elenterio "Ted," and Jose Demetrio "Junior"; her sisters, Mrs. Marie Trujillo, Mrs. Maria Estella Sanchez, Mrs. Manuelita Lucero, Mrs. Emilina Ortega, Mrs. Librada "Lala" Leyba, Mrs. Clara Padilla and Mrs. Frances Apodaca

Lola Witko will be laid to rest with her late husband at the National Cemetary in Riverside, Calif.