Herlinda M Carrillo

Herlinda M. Carrillo, 94, beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother passed away on November 21st at her home in Independence, Oregon. Herlinda is proceeded in death by her parents Ramon Martinez and Enriqueta Sauceda, her husband Pablo Carrillo, and her sister Eustolia (Tola) Martinez.

Herlinda was one of the last survivors of the early migrating families who began travelling to Oregon in the 1950s from Mission, Texas. She was born in Matehuala, San Luis de Potosi in 1929 and relocated to Texas as a teenager. She spent her teen years employed as a nanny and met her first love & future husband Pablo Carrillo when arriving to Texas. They married shortly after & quickly started to begin their new family. Herlinda worked tirelessly to nurture and feed her growing family. Working in the home and in the agricultural industry alongside her husband, they migrated seasonally with the crops travelling between Texas, Arizona, California and Oregon. The family was able to settle in Independence, Oregon in 1961. Herlinda spent the next 60 plus years raising her nine children and ever-expanding family within the Willamette Valley. During her free time, she loved music, dancing, watching her telenovelas and visiting with family and friends. Herlinda was a nurturing and selfless matriarch, cherished as an exceptional mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was an amazing cook who always made sure to have fresh tortillas, beans and Kool-Aid on hand for her children, grandchildren and “adopted children” and friends from the neighborhood. Her welcoming door was always open to family or friends at any hour, day or night. Her life was a testament to the joy of nurturing and caring for others, embodying a spirit that found fulfillment in loving and tending to those around her. She taught her family to love unconditionally and always ended every goodbye with “Dios Los Cuide” (May God Take Care of You).

Herlinda is survived by her nine children: Juan, Eduardo, Gilbert (Sylvia), Toddy, and Oscar (Marie) Carrillo, Anita (Arturo) Cantu, Antonia (Luis) Reyna, Adela (Juan) Gonzalez, and Yolanda (Santos) Cantu. All her children continue to reside in the Oregon Willamette Valley area. Additionally, she leaves behind a legacy cherished by 23 Grandchildren and 32 Great Grandchildren spread across the nation.

In honor of Herlinda, viewing will be on Tuesday, November 28, 2023 from 6 pm to 9 pm at Farnstrom Mortuary in Independence, OR. A funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 at 11:00 am at St. Patrick’s Church in Independence, followed by burial at Hilltop Cemetery in Independence. A Celebration of Life Reception to follow at St. Patrick’s Church.