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Growing up, somehow, everywhere my family went, somebody knew my grandparents, my aunts or uncles, or one of my dozens of cousins — whether it be through school, work, sports, or church. And my grandmother, Maria de la Luz Renteria, was without a doubt the heart of this close-knit family.
“Mama Luz” — or “Doña Luz” to those that knew her around town — was a shining light to all who met her. She lived her life as an example of devotion to both family and God, sharing her love for 87 years until her death on July 10.
Born on April 8, 1937, and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico, as the fifth out of nine Palomino children, Luz spent her childhood in the heart of the city’s downtown, living steps away from the famous Guadalajara Cathedral. She met her husband, Alfonso, at the pharmacy where they both worked. They married in 1963 and had two children, Claudia and Martin.
Alfonso migrated to the United States, where he found work at Birkholm’s Bakery and Pea Soup Andersen’s in Santa Barbara County. Once he was settled, Luz and the two young children followed in 1967. At their home in Buellton, the family grew with the birth of twin girls, Maria and Silvia, and their fifth child, Lucy. In 1971, the Renteria family moved down to Santa Barbara, where their youngest child, Poncho (Alfonso Jr.), was born.
The six Renteria children were and continue to be close. When the family lived in a small two-bedroom home on Rancheria Street in the lower Westside, the neighborhood families would comment about the “Renteria kids on Rancheria.” Luz would wrangle up her kids and take them for picnics at Pershing Park and to swim at Los Baños pool.
Luz began working at local Mexican bakeries — first La Tapatia Bakery, then La Bella Rosa — where she greeted hundreds of customers, forged longtime friendships, and affectionately became known as “Doña Luz.” After long days at the bakery, she would come home in time to watch her grandkids after school. I remember her house smelling of sopitas and her clothes always smelling like sweet, freshly cooked pan dulce.
Luz was well known for her Jalisco-style home-cooked meals. At home, she perfected her family recipes for enfrijoladas, albondigas, and milanesa. In the community, she would raise money by selling her signature chile rellenos and tamales.
As her six children grew and had their own children, the flock of Renterias and their extended families blossomed even more. By the end, she had 16 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren — all still living in Santa Barbara County — and she remained close to her own brothers and sisters and their families, many of whom had migrated to California as well.
Because of Luz’s hospitality, her home was always full. Her house was always open to any family member or friend who needed her warmth, wisdom, and, of course, a delicious home-cooked meal. Through her Catholic faith, she made even more lifelong friends at Holy Cross, St. Raphael’s, and Our Lady of Sorrows.
A little-known fact about Luz is the special space she held in her heart for sports. Her husband was an aspiring professional soccer player in Mexico, and her children and grandchildren excelled in sports. Some of her happiest family memories were in the stands at Peabody Stadium, watching her son Poncho make a run to the CIF Championship in 1989, and then watching his son, Abel, make his own mark as a star quarterback in the same stadium from 2020 to 2024.
Her all-time favorite sports star was Steph Curry, and she had a love-hate relationship with Alabama coach Nick Saban (she loved to watch him get angry when Alabama was losing). Her last weekend was spent with her daughter, Claudia, knitting and watching the Euro Cup and Copa America semifinals.
Throughout her life, Luz loved cooking, baking, knitting, and collecting porcelain dolls — which lined the walls of her home. She was an avid dancer who enjoyed listening to Juan Gabriel and especially loved Celia Cruz’s song “La Vida es un Carnaval.”
One of her favorite American pop tunes was “Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies. The song came out shortly after she arrived in the U.S. and became a sort of theme song for the family. When she played it during family gatherings — and there were plenty of get-togethers and birthday parties — we would all sing and dance together. In her final days, we played the song for her in the hospital as the family crowded around her bed.
Through many challenging times in her life, Luz kept her strength and grace. When her husband, Alfonso, died unexpectedly 21 years ago, she became the center and matriarch of the family. When her 28-year-old granddaughter Kaelynn passed away after contracting leukemia in 2022, Luz was a rock of stability for us all. Her strong faith, which helped her endure tragic hardships, has been passed on to her children as they face the storms of life as well.
For the past several years, Luz spent her free time hand-knitting more than 40 blankets for everyone in her family, so that her loved ones would have a remembrance of her and feel the warmth of her heart always.
While Luz is irreplaceable, the love she showed toward those around her will continue through her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and all the family and friends who loved her in the community.
“Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise” —Proverbs 31:31