Miguela Zubiate Ortega

The family of Miguela Zubiate Ortega of Royal City, WA is saddened to share her passing on Wednesday Nov. 12, 2025. We are heartbroken without our Mom, Grandma, Lita, sister, aunt, Godmother, comadre and friend. But find solace in the memories, lessons and examples she left behind with us all. Miguela, known to some as Ofelia or Mickey, was born in Villa Ahuamada, Chihuahua Mexico on January 27, 1940. Her loving parents were Pilar Zubiate and Margarita Artalejo-Zubiate. She was the second of 6 children, with three brothers, Dagoberto, Adan, and Francisco and two sisters, Manuela and Eva. Miguela’s dad worked with cattle ranchers in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico and wanting to provide a better life for his wife and kids, he began working as a bracero in the US for about 6 months at a time when Miguela was 2 years old. During those times, her Mom would stay in Mexico and care for their two kids, while staying with her mother, and mother in law as well. This provided Miguela with a rich opportunity to create a very close relationship with her abuelitas. Her grandmother Aurelia, lived in the city which gave Miguela the opportunity to learn and see many new things that the city life had to offer. While her other grandma, Petra lived in the country and owned her own store. Miguela loved both grandmothers, but the country life was where she felt the most at home. There, she enjoyed riding horses, feeding goats, chickens and cows. She learned how to make the famous Chihuahua cheese, clothing, and even her own toys. Eventually, the elementary Miguela would attend was the one that had been built on her grandma land. Education was a priority and with her grandma’s house only 100 yards away from the school, and her grandmother as the teacher, so she rarely missed school. She loved learning new things. Her favorite subject in school was Math and it was a tool she relied on later as she would help her parents navigate their new life in the United States and later manage expenses at-home as a parent of 7 kids. More importantly, both of her abuelitas were CCD teachers and taught her the basic pillars of the Catholic faith. In 1947 Miguela moved to Clint, TX with her family. Her dad had secured employment for himself and her mom to start building a new life in the US. After working for a few months, her parents saved up enough money to move together as a family to Fresno, California following the harvest to find any work still available. They eventually would migrate between Texas, Arizona and California as migrant workers, following the harvest in each state. They lived a very hard-working life with little in the ways of material things. But what never lacked was love and faith. Her parents made sure to set up a home altar in every trailer, shed, or army barrack they called their new home. Each was cultivated into a shelter with the aroma of homemade menudo, flour tortillas, and burritos. And always, always a place to pray as their migrant lifestyle didn’t always allow for attending Mass on Sundays. Miguela worked alongside her parents and siblings in the fields, picking cotton, plums, cabbage, and strawberries. Sometimes working 12-15 hours a day to help provide the necessities of life all while attending school as she could. When she was 19, Miguela caught the attention of a long time family friend, a young 21 year old Luis P. Ortega. He always said that he liked how she carried herself in a “polite and respectful manner” and “wouldn’t dance with just anyone who asked her to at the dances”. They dated for just three weeks, (the required time of amonestaciones, where a couple would announce their engagement for three weeks to see if there was any opposition to their engagement.) Then they were married in St. Anthony’s Church in Casa Grande, AZ on January 27, 1960. Once married, Luis and Miguela moved to Washington for a short while. Then later to Salinas, CA where her parents lived. Luis Jr. was born there so her Mom could help Miguela being a first-time-mom. Less than a year later, after finding work in Toppenish, WA, Precilia was born. They made a few more moves following job opportunities, as they moved to Moses Lake, Toppenish, and finally Royal City, where they always said was “the perfect place to raise a family.” Once established in Royal City, the family grew with the addition of Pearl, Socorro, Sydney, Jaime and then Mechelle. Luis and Miguela lived in Royal City before there were paved roads, an official Catholic church, or even school buses, so Miguela would carpool her kids, and other neighbors’ kids to and from school in the family station wagon. She would spend the summer months waking up extra early, cooking breakfast burritos, then waking her kids up so she could spend the days picking apples, cherries, and weeding mint fields to help pay for their new school clothes, sports equipment and other extra curricular activities. Always taking care of others and putting the needs of others first. Everyone knew that Miguela loved her kids, but to see a new level of love, was when the grandkids started making their way into the picture. Kelleigh was their first grandchild, she was called “Reina” which means queen. Then Samantha, who they lovingly called “Prieta” or “dark little one”, then a little angel who was not able to make it to earth. Followed by Lauren or “Lala”, and then Christian, William, their “Bandito” or “Dito”, then Libby, Sara, CJ, Brady “El Chion” or “cry baby”, then Josiah, and Alysha her Chiquitita or little one. The last two, Makayla and Madison, whom she called “mis hijas” or “my girls”, never knew their Grandfather Luis but they came to know him through the many stories shared by our mom. Miguela would often say “Solo Dios, my kids and the grandkids”, meaning that only with God, her kids and her grandkids was she sustained after our dad’s passing in 97. They lived 37 loving years together raising kids, helping to build a church and supporting any newcomer into their home. Last year Miguela gained some bonus grandkids with the addition of Coleman, Ty, Amanda, Amelia and Willa. Miguela’s great-grand children Damon, Forrest who she called Bosque, Miller who she called el grenudo or the messy haired boy, Wyatt and then Selena added a new level of joy to her life. She loved their weekly updated pictures, Facetime calls and visits. She proudly would tell everyone about who had started walking, talking and eating new foods. Holding the sleepy baby in her arms and watching their personalities emerge was the highlight of her day. Our mom was a member of Saint Michael's Altar Society, a Eucharistic minister, a Cursillisita, and a Guadalupana. Miguela loved music and had a beautiful voice. As a child, she and her mom would sing songs while working alongside each other in the fields. She said it helped pass the time and lighten the workload. She loved singing hymns, and always drew joy and comfort in thanking God, asking for guidance, and giving thanks as she praised Him. There are not enough words to clearly express everything that Miguela meant to those that loved her. She was our strong matriarch, who loved deeply, cared tenderly and made an indelible mark on those she encountered. And while no amount of love could ever repay her for the love she gave, we will move forward in the knowledge that she is with Christ and will enjoy her true rewards in heaven.

Miguela Zubiate Ortega

January 27, 1940 - November 12, 2025