Josefa Davalos

In Loving Memory of Josefa "Buela" Gardea Davalos
July 15, 1936 – February 9, 2025
With hearts both heavy and grateful, we celebrate the life of Josefa "Buela" Gardea Davalos, who peacefully entered eternity on February 9, 2025, in Fresno, CA, at the age of 88. She was a woman of quiet strength, boundless kindness, and a heart that gave without limit.
She Lived A Life Rooted in Love and Resilience
Born on July 15, 1936, in Santa Barbara, Chihuahua, Mexico, Josefa was one of the younger children in a large and loving family. Though she was born in a big city, she lived far away from the noise of crowds and the distractions of modern life. Her home was a truck ride and a horse ride away from the city, nestled at the top of a mountain on land that her father owned. In a humble adobe home, she grew up surrounded by the beauty of nature and the warmth of family. A simple, quiet life, yet one filled with love; for each other and for God.
Her mother passed away when she was very young, but the motherly qualities that she had instilled in her older sisters shone through the loss and lived on within Josefa. Through them, she learned strength, resilience, and the kind of selfless love that would define her entire life.
She was preceded in death by her devoted parents, Crispiniano Gardea Andrade and Aurea Muñiz Bravo, and her four brothers and six sisters, whose memories she carried like sacred treasures. Though their voices have faded from this world, she remained the keeper of their stories, the guardian of their traditions, and the bridge between the past and the future.
She left her homeland and made her way to El Paso, Texas, where she worked for 12 years in the home of a doctor, not just tending to a household but nurturing children as if they were her own. It was during these years that fate, and a touch of old-fashioned romance, led her to her beloved husband, Adalberto Davalos. Their love story began through letters exchanged via a classified ad; a testament to the beautiful mystery of how soulmates find one another.
They married on March 20, 1963, and built a life in Fresno, California, where they raised their greatest joys: their sons, David and Pablo. Josefa and Adalberto shared a deep and devoted love, remaining faithfully married until his passing on November 12, 2005. After losing her beloved husband, she waited through sorrow and pain for her turn to see him again. Yet, despite her longing, she continued to give her full love and attention to her family, finding strength in caring for those she cherished.
She lived with her sons for several years after his passing, where she shared God's Word and her faith daily, ensuring that her home remained filled with prayer, scripture, and unwavering trust in the Lord.
She later moved in with her granddaughter Elizabeth and her husband Arthur Goodman, where she lived for nearly 12 years. Her light shone from within, illuminating God's love and grace in their lives. She found joy in singing to Jesus while the children were at school, and could often be heard singing hymns of worship; songs she had written herself; lifting her voice in praise to her Savior.
Even in the days and weeks leading up to the stroke that took her life, Josefa remained a pillar of strength, devotion, and diligence. She continued to read her Bible daily, immersing herself in God's word as she had done all her life. She still cleaned her home, did her laundry, and cooked for herself and her family, never ceasing to care for those around her; all through the pain of arthritis and the frailty of old age.
With tender hands and a heart full of love, she poured her soul into the upbringing of her great-grandchildren, Micah and Cyrus, ensuring that they knew the Lord and were surrounded by the same faith and warmth that had guided her own life.
She Had A Heart That Extended to All People and Cared for Their Well-Being
Josefa's love extended far beyond her family. With hands that never tired and a heart that never turned away, she made sure no one went hungry. Out of her own pocket, she bought food for those in need; children, adults, and elders who came to her door daily in the hopes of a meal or a sweet treat. And she never turned them away.
Even in her final days, her greatest concern was not for herself, but for others. As loved ones came to visit, she would greet them and then ask the same question she had asked all her life:
"Did you eat?"
It was more than a question. It was her love made visible, her care woven into the simplest yet most profound of gestures.
She Leaves Behind a Legacy of Faith and Family
Her greatest joy was her family, and she poured her love into her nine grandchildren; Elizabeth, Monica, Denise, Ricardo, Angel, Pablo, Fernando, Derek, and Emily; and her great-grandchildren; Vanessa, Ricardo, Micah, Elijah, Cyrus, Pablo, Gavin, Rowan, and Farrah.
But Buela's love knew no boundaries. She embraced countless bonus grandchildren, including Calie, Emma, Josh, Conner, Daniel, Janel and many more, treating each one with the same warmth, wisdom, and unwavering devotion.
More than anything, Josefa's life was anchored in faith. She did not just believe in God; she lived for Him. Her love for the Lord was unshakable, a fire that never dimmed.
Even in the hours before her stroke, with frailty in her body but strength in her spirit, she lifted her hands toward heaven, praising God, asking for forgiveness, and thanking Him for His blessings. She praised Him in abundance and praised Him in hardship, teaching her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren that faith is not dependent on circumstance; it is a foundation that holds firm in every storm.
Through song and prayer, she taught them to let their light shine for Jesus, to cling to faith no matter what, and to never let doubt take root where God's promises had already been spoken.
The strength and love for God she instilled in us will live on forever.
She Gave A Love That Lives On
Buela was the quiet force that held generations together, the steadfast presence that made a house a home. She faced every challenge with grace, never wavering in her devotion to those she loved.
Though our hearts ache in her absence, we take comfort in knowing she is now reunited with her beloved Adalberto, her parents, her siblings, and, most of all, she is now in the presence of her Lord and Savior.
Her love will be felt in every shared meal, every story told, every moment of kindness given in her honor. She has not left us; she has simply gone ahead, preparing the table for the day we meet again.
Rest in peace, Buela.
Your love will guide us forever.