Cover photo for Inez Leyva Ruiz's Obituary
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1927 Inez 2022

Inez Leyva Ruiz

June 18, 1927 — May 14, 2022

Inez Leyva Ruiz passed away on May 14, 2022. She was 94 years young. Her quick wit
and sassy nature kept her very young at heart.
Inez was born on June 18, 1927, in Wickenburg, Arizona to Adelaida Lopez and Ysac
Leyva. Inez was the fourth in a line of seven children.
At a young age Inez's family moved and settled in Bakersfield, California. Due to the
need to help support the family her education was cut short. Her formal education
ended at the eighth grade. It was then that she started work in the agricultural fields of
Bakersfield. Inez shared many fond memories of living in the DiGorgio labor camp.
Inez married Tony S. Padilla and they had three sons, Freddie, Ruben and Anthony.
Freddie passed away when he was about five years old.
Inez and Tony divorced, and it was after this that she started her career as a cook. She
worked many years at the Cellar Dining Room and it was during that time when she
met her second husband John Ruiz.
After leaving the Cellar Dining Room she went to work for the Mexicali Restaurants.
She worked at two of their locations one on Niles and the other on 18th Street. The
owners of Mexicali and the staff there become like a second family to her.
When her son's Ruben and Anthony were teenagers they had many friends and her
home became "the place" and she was like a second mom to these friends. She was
loved and respected for helping shape these young teens' lives.
After the death of her second husband, John Ruiz, Inez retired and moved to
Sacramento. It was not long after moving there that she was asked to come out of her
retirement to help start the restaurant Mazatlán as the chef.
She later returned to Bakersfield and started doing what she loved best, babysitting her
great grandchildren. Inez leaves to cherish her memory two grandsons, three
granddaughters, 12 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. Inez was
known as
"Grandma" to all not just to family but friends as well. The memories her
grandchildren share are many summer days playing outside at Grandma's apartment
while she was doing her crocheting. They also remember their walks to the nearby 7-
Eleven to get "junk food" and trips to the park. And of course, her homemade meals.
She made the most delicious papas and could make something so delicious out of the
most meager of things.
Inez had many hobbies. She learned to crochet as a young girl and delighted herself in
making doilies and her special Afghans for her grandchildren and family members. Her
"potholders" were in great demand, and it seemed she could never make enough.
Inez is predeceased by her parents, her husbands Tony S. Padilla and John Ruiz, two
sisters and two brothers and her special grandson Anthony Phillip Padilla.
Along with her grandchildren she leaves to cherish her memory her two sons and
daughter-in-law, her grandsons-in-law, two sisters and many nieces and nephews.
A special thank you to Sylvia at Kern River Transitional Care who went over and above
in caring for Inez and Maria who also took special care of Inez while she was there.
Also, a special thank you to her granddaughter Calli Macias who always made sure to
accompany Grandma at all her doctors' appointments and kept detailed medical
records.
"Rest in Peace with the Lord, Mamma".


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