Maria (Esther) Grane' Shea passed away in Santa Clara on September 22, 2017, surrounded by family.

Maria Esther Arona was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and at the age of four was taken to Tobas, Spain, to be raised by her aunt and uncle. Tobas is a small village in the northwestern part of Spain and can't even be found on Google maps!  She lived there until she took a month long trip by ship back to Buenos Aires, Argentina at the age of eighteen. Then her adventure began.

In Buenos Aires, Maria met Juan Grane', who wooed her for three years by the time she finally married him. She happily joined him in pursuing his dream to go to America in 1956. They lived in New York and had two children there before they went to Texas and had a third child. Maria talked Juan into going further west and they fell in love with California and settled in San Jose, thank goodness!

She worked in electronics, learned English, how to drive, and even how to swim, while raising three kids. She was loving, tough, and smart. In 1974, she and Juan became naturalized citizens in a moving ceremony witnessed by their three kids. They had truly realized their dreams.  Sadly, in 1976, Juan died of melanoma. Maria was widowed with three kids under the age of 16.  After three years of grieving, she picked herself up and said she was ready to go out into the world and have another go at love.

She eventually met Martin Shea, who made her very happy and married him in 1987. They welcomed five grandchildren, which they loved and spoiled immensely. They traveled around the world including visiting her home towns in Spain and Argentina. Maria and Marty always opened their house to the grand-kids and their friends. You could never visit them without being fed. The last several years of Maria's life, they hosted weekly dinners open to family and friends. She loved to cook and was great at it. She and Marty were married over 30 years when she passed away.

Maria came from incredibly humble beginnings, but because she took a chance on love, she lived a full, beautiful life. Everyone who knew her loved her.  We were blessed and will truly miss her.

Services held at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in the All Saints Chapel

Tuesday, Oct 3rd at noon.