Carmen D. Rubio

Carmen Duran Rubio was born on July 6, 1937, in Namiquipa, Chihuahua, Mexico. She passed away at age 83 in Woodlake, CA, on February 19, 2021, surrounded by her loved ones. Carmen was the daughter of Arturo Duran and Maria De Jesus Delgado. She married Petronilo Rubio in 1962, and they moved their family of seven to Woodlake in 1973. Carmen worked for Early California Foods/Vlasic Foods in Visalia for 17 years. During that time, she balanced motherhood, church fellowship, and spiritual growth. In recent years, Carmen was a dedicated member of the Dorcas Apostolic Women's Auxiliary Group. She sponsored the "Flor Azul" project which raised funds in support of the missionaries serving in other countries. Carmen's greatest legacy is the demonstration of Christ's love to her children, grandchildren, and others in her life. Her faith was steadfast, and her servant's heart was a reflection of the love and grace that she was shown by her Heavenly Father. She always put others before herself, whether it was through intercessory prayer or serving meals in her home. She never sat down at the dinner table until everyone had a full plate of her amazing homemade rice, beans, and flour tortillas. In fact, her guests probably enjoyed "seconds" before she sat down to eat. It was her joy to serve, just as Christ came to serve (Matthew 20:28). She was a prayer warrior, and many people would reach out to her when in need of prayer because they knew she took this commitment seriously. She filled the role of "mother" to many individuals outside of her immediate family. If you stopped by her home on any given day, you would either find her cooking, tending to her roses outside, or praying. Carmen is preceded in death by her husband Petronilo Rubio and daughter Angelica Rubio. She is survived by her children Fernando (Elaine) of Visalia, Carmen of Visalia, Leticia (Jaime) of Oxnard, Luz (Gregorio) of Woodlake, Mario (Laura) of Gilroy, and nephew Arturo (Sara) of Exeter. Carmen has eight grandchildren, Derrick Cripe (Elizabeth), Judith Vidal, Keilah Vidal, Deborah Vidal, Rebekah Vidal, Joy Rubio, Annie Rubio, Roger Rubio, Ebenezer Rubio, Bryce Mankovsky, and Devin Mankovsy; and five great grandchildren, Lilah, Aidan, Liliana, Jordan, and Brooke. She is also survived by her sisters, Mary Thompson (Woodlake), Esperanza Duran Delgado (Juarez, Mexico), and Guadalupe Duran (Anthony, New Mexico). A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, March 18, at 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Salser and Dillard Funeral Chapel, 127 E. Caldwell Avenue, Visalia. Visitation will be on Friday at 10 a.m. at Salser and Dillard, and burial will follow at the Woodlake Public Cemetery, 165 N. Cypress Street, Woodlake. The services will also be livestreamed on the Salser and Dillard website. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sierra View Junior Academy Worthy Students Scholarship fund at 19933 Avenue 256, Exeter, CA 93221. Please indicate Carmen Rubio's name on your donation. (sierraviewjunioracademy.org)

Carmen D. Rubio

July 6, 1937 - February 20, 2021