A Look at Lolita
From The Diaz Observer, April 2006, By Larry J. Rodarte
Nearly 80 years ago, a baby girl was born to Grandma Cecilia Diaz while traveling the migrant trail to the cold state of Michigan. On July 7, 1927, Delores Diaz came into the world in the town of Charlotte — the first of all the Diaz family members born in the Great Lake State, away from Texas and Mexico.
Grandma had already given birth to nine other children, two of which died as infants, when “Lola,” as they would call her, came along. The Diaz family briefly stayed in Charlotte, after two years in Croswell. They lived the life of the poor migrant workers who originally emigrated from Mexico, via El Paso and Houston. Times were tough as they harvested the sugar beet fields.
That same year Tia Lola was born, Grandpa Senobio heard that the Chevrolet Foundry were hiring men, and traveled with a friend to Saginaw, Mich. He was hired that day as a “iron pourer.” This job is why most of the Diaz descendants are still living today in Saginaw.
It was said that Tia Lola wasn’t born deaf. She could hear as a toddler. One story told about her inability to hear puts the blame on her godfather. His name isn’t known now, but apparently, as he arrived at the Diaz home at Norman and 6th, he came in with such a loud greeting that Little Lola jumped out of her seat at the dinner table and was said to never hear again. Yet, others said she had spinal menegitis at age three, with a high fever that caused her lost of hearing.
The latter explanation seems more reliable, but the former was often told. Yet Tia Lola was healthy in every other way, and her genes prove to be strong as she nears her 79th birthday.
“I remember attending regular school with my brothers and sisters, but found it boring because I couldn’t communicate,” Tia Lola recalls. “That’s when the Michigan School for the Deaf was mentioned to my parents.”
Lola’s sister-in-law Odelia had the insight to push Lola to attend the Flint school to get an education. Grandma Cecilia didn’t have a problem with her going to the farm school off Wolf Road near their home, but for a daughter to leave the farm and live in Flint, this was unthinkable.
The trauma of having to leave her beloved home is vivid in Tia Lola’s mind.
“I didn’t want to go, but my mother told me the courts said I had to go or I would be taken away. I remember being very sad and crying. And my ma was crying too!”
Her older brother, Joe, had to physically remove his sister from his mother as they prepared to leave in his car. Tia Lola remembers crying as she looked out the back window, seeing her mother tearfully waving good-bye.
“My brothers Joe and Steve would take me back and forth from Saginaw to Flint, and I would miss my family so much that I wanted to come home every Friday and go back to school on Sunday,” Tia Lola said. “My sister Dora and her husband Willy would take me too, and I wanted to come home for Christmas, Easter — every holiday.”
In school Tia would learn to read, write and sign. One fond memory she has is coming home from school and seeing Grandpa Senobio picking strawberries in his garden. He turned and saw his daughter, smiled and gave her a big hug because he was so happy to see her. She remembers him offering her delicious strawberries and that they were big and juicy.
No matter how Tia Lola felt initially about the Michigan School for the Deaf, her thoughts quickly changed. She made many friends there and she met a boy. His name was Howard and they soon were an item. They would have a secret love affair, as juicy as a strawberry.
In the end Tia Lola was happy attending the school and she was the second Diaz family member to graduate from high school when she received her diploma June 4, 1947. She was the first female and the only one of her siblings besides her brother Joe to graduate at that time.
“I remember my niece Anita (Anne) driving my mom to Flint for my graduation,” said Tia Lola. “There was some sort of reception afterwards, and I had Howard come and sit with them.”
Cousin Anne would fondly tell the story of how during the commencement, as the music started, there came Tia Lola, the first graduate at the front of the line, her hands folded in front of her as in payer. She was the shortest, wearing a cap and gown of navy and yellow.
As Tia prepared to return home to Saginaw, many of her friends wanted her to stay. She remembers telling them good-bye and that she loved them and was sad to leave. Looking back, she often wonders what happened to each of them. She never did see them again.
Instead she stayed in Saginaw, Mich. at the house on 1627 N. 29th St. There, her adult life began and within three years little Cathy Ann Diaz was born.
We love you Tia Lola, and are blessed that God has granted you many years of life.
Grandma had already given birth to nine other children, two of which died as infants, when “Lola,” as they would call her, came along. The Diaz family briefly stayed in Charlotte, after two years in Croswell. They lived the life of the poor migrant workers who originally emigrated from Mexico, via El Paso and Houston. Times were tough as they harvested the sugar beet fields.
That same year Tia Lola was born, Grandpa Senobio heard that the Chevrolet Foundry were hiring men, and traveled with a friend to Saginaw, Mich. He was hired that day as a “iron pourer.” This job is why most of the Diaz descendants are still living today in Saginaw.
It was said that Tia Lola wasn’t born deaf. She could hear as a toddler. One story told about her inability to hear puts the blame on her godfather. His name isn’t known now, but apparently, as he arrived at the Diaz home at Norman and 6th, he came in with such a loud greeting that Little Lola jumped out of her seat at the dinner table and was said to never hear again. Yet, others said she had spinal menegitis at age three, with a high fever that caused her lost of hearing.
The latter explanation seems more reliable, but the former was often told. Yet Tia Lola was healthy in every other way, and her genes prove to be strong as she nears her 79th birthday.
“I remember attending regular school with my brothers and sisters, but found it boring because I couldn’t communicate,” Tia Lola recalls. “That’s when the Michigan School for the Deaf was mentioned to my parents.”
Lola’s sister-in-law Odelia had the insight to push Lola to attend the Flint school to get an education. Grandma Cecilia didn’t have a problem with her going to the farm school off Wolf Road near their home, but for a daughter to leave the farm and live in Flint, this was unthinkable.
The trauma of having to leave her beloved home is vivid in Tia Lola’s mind.
“I didn’t want to go, but my mother told me the courts said I had to go or I would be taken away. I remember being very sad and crying. And my ma was crying too!”
Her older brother, Joe, had to physically remove his sister from his mother as they prepared to leave in his car. Tia Lola remembers crying as she looked out the back window, seeing her mother tearfully waving good-bye.
“My brothers Joe and Steve would take me back and forth from Saginaw to Flint, and I would miss my family so much that I wanted to come home every Friday and go back to school on Sunday,” Tia Lola said. “My sister Dora and her husband Willy would take me too, and I wanted to come home for Christmas, Easter — every holiday.”
In school Tia would learn to read, write and sign. One fond memory she has is coming home from school and seeing Grandpa Senobio picking strawberries in his garden. He turned and saw his daughter, smiled and gave her a big hug because he was so happy to see her. She remembers him offering her delicious strawberries and that they were big and juicy.
No matter how Tia Lola felt initially about the Michigan School for the Deaf, her thoughts quickly changed. She made many friends there and she met a boy. His name was Howard and they soon were an item. They would have a secret love affair, as juicy as a strawberry.
In the end Tia Lola was happy attending the school and she was the second Diaz family member to graduate from high school when she received her diploma June 4, 1947. She was the first female and the only one of her siblings besides her brother Joe to graduate at that time.
“I remember my niece Anita (Anne) driving my mom to Flint for my graduation,” said Tia Lola. “There was some sort of reception afterwards, and I had Howard come and sit with them.”
Cousin Anne would fondly tell the story of how during the commencement, as the music started, there came Tia Lola, the first graduate at the front of the line, her hands folded in front of her as in payer. She was the shortest, wearing a cap and gown of navy and yellow.
As Tia prepared to return home to Saginaw, many of her friends wanted her to stay. She remembers telling them good-bye and that she loved them and was sad to leave. Looking back, she often wonders what happened to each of them. She never did see them again.
Instead she stayed in Saginaw, Mich. at the house on 1627 N. 29th St. There, her adult life began and within three years little Cathy Ann Diaz was born.
We love you Tia Lola, and are blessed that God has granted you many years of life.
