Sisterly Intervention: How Our Tia Connie Became a Diaz
By Larry J. Rodarte © The Diaz Observer, June 2006
Her older sister Esther was already married to Esteban Diaz, and she was a young girl of 15 living at home in Pontiac. Aurora Consuelo Gonzalez, or Connie, as she was called, would travel with her sister to her husband’s home in Saginaw, Mich., on trips that she says were real treats. It was a time to get away, and on one such excursion she met her future husband Ralph Senovio.
“Esther and Steve took me to the farm on Wolf Rd., and I remember Ralph coming in from the field,” said Tia Connie Diaz, who was born November 13, 1928. “He was really shy. It wasn’t love at first sight or anything like that, honey, but that’s when I first met him when I was 15.
“Ralph’s mom would quickly start preparing something for us to eat, as she knew we had come a long way.”
With six sisters, Tia Esther took turns taking some of the Gonzalez girls on the trip to the farm where they became familiar with the Diaz Family. By 1943, Tia Esther gave birth to Steve Jr., and Uncle Steve helped his younger brother Ralph find employment at the Wilson Foundry in Pontiac.
“I didn’t get to talk to Ralph until he was living with Steve and Esther,” Tia Connie said. “He lived there for awhile before he got drafted into the service.”
However, Uncle Ralph remembers things a little differently, saying his older brother was the reason the two met.
“I think Steve took me over to their house one afternoon to eat and that’s where I met Connie. She looked at me, and there was definitely something there.”
Tia Connie started working pretty young as a waitress at the old S.S. Kresge store in Downtown Pontiac. So when she started dating Uncle Ralph, it was her boss — of all people — who would help her on the road to her future.
“My dad was so strict that I had to lie about what I was doing,” Tia Connie hesitantly said. “My boss knew my situation, so he would let me out early from my job and I would go to the movies with Ralph, and then go home as if I was coming home from work.”
As soon as Uncle Ralph was out of the service in 1947, he had his mind made up. He would ask Connie Gonzalez for her hand in marriage. They had a small wedding at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Saginaw on April 17, 1948; she was 18 and he was 24.
“We didn’t really tell anyone, we just had a small gathering, and Carmen and Tony (Stricker) were our matron of honor and best man,” explained Tia. “We then went over to Ralph’s parents on 29th street where his mom made us mole for the occasion. Ralph sure loved to see his ma cook.”
“Yeah, Mom quickly started making homemade tortillas when we went back to the house,” recalls Uncle Ralph. “They were real happy for us.”
Tia Connie fondly remembers, “having a lot of fun,” with her Seugro (father-in-law) Senobio. “He was so sweet. He was my favorite; maybe because I didn’t have a father like that.”
In the May Diaz Observer, a picture depicting Grandpa Senobio laughing with Tia Connie tells how well they got along.
On April 13, 1949, one year after they were married, Ralphie Jr. was born. It was understandably an easy choice for them to name their baby boy, Ralph Senobio.
With Tia Connie marrying Uncle Ralph, you have two sisters marrying two brothers — a rarity in most families, but with so many siblings in each family, two Diaz/Gonzalez unions was bound to happen.
“When I continued to work at S.S. Kresge’s after I had Ralph, I would walk my baby in his stroller over to Esther’s house, and she would watch him for me. I sure missed her when she moved to New Haven,” Tia Connie said.
Still, the two families have remained close; the Diaz siblings have all the same aunts and uncles on both their mother and father’s sides.
“We’ve always been real close with Steve and Esther’s family. Our kids are like brothers and sisters, because they’ve always been so close to each other.”
Following Ralphie, Tia would give birth to Carlos in 1951, Rachel Ann in 1957, and Gilbert in 1960. This past
April Tia and Uncle celebrated 58 years of marriage.
Looking back, Tia Connie says she has always felt welcomed in the family.
“You can always feel a lot of love within the Diaz family,” said Tia. “There’s always a lot of hugs and kisses; it’s not always like that with other families. It’s always meant a lot to me.”
The feeling is mutual Tia, and I know I speak for all the family when I say, “We are so glad our Uncle chose YOU to be his wife.”
If you are reading this take the time to call Tia Connie, April 17 is her Anniversay with our Tio. Her phone number is 248-330-4497.
“Esther and Steve took me to the farm on Wolf Rd., and I remember Ralph coming in from the field,” said Tia Connie Diaz, who was born November 13, 1928. “He was really shy. It wasn’t love at first sight or anything like that, honey, but that’s when I first met him when I was 15.
“Ralph’s mom would quickly start preparing something for us to eat, as she knew we had come a long way.”
With six sisters, Tia Esther took turns taking some of the Gonzalez girls on the trip to the farm where they became familiar with the Diaz Family. By 1943, Tia Esther gave birth to Steve Jr., and Uncle Steve helped his younger brother Ralph find employment at the Wilson Foundry in Pontiac.
“I didn’t get to talk to Ralph until he was living with Steve and Esther,” Tia Connie said. “He lived there for awhile before he got drafted into the service.”
However, Uncle Ralph remembers things a little differently, saying his older brother was the reason the two met.
“I think Steve took me over to their house one afternoon to eat and that’s where I met Connie. She looked at me, and there was definitely something there.”
Tia Connie started working pretty young as a waitress at the old S.S. Kresge store in Downtown Pontiac. So when she started dating Uncle Ralph, it was her boss — of all people — who would help her on the road to her future.
“My dad was so strict that I had to lie about what I was doing,” Tia Connie hesitantly said. “My boss knew my situation, so he would let me out early from my job and I would go to the movies with Ralph, and then go home as if I was coming home from work.”
As soon as Uncle Ralph was out of the service in 1947, he had his mind made up. He would ask Connie Gonzalez for her hand in marriage. They had a small wedding at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Saginaw on April 17, 1948; she was 18 and he was 24.
“We didn’t really tell anyone, we just had a small gathering, and Carmen and Tony (Stricker) were our matron of honor and best man,” explained Tia. “We then went over to Ralph’s parents on 29th street where his mom made us mole for the occasion. Ralph sure loved to see his ma cook.”
“Yeah, Mom quickly started making homemade tortillas when we went back to the house,” recalls Uncle Ralph. “They were real happy for us.”
Tia Connie fondly remembers, “having a lot of fun,” with her Seugro (father-in-law) Senobio. “He was so sweet. He was my favorite; maybe because I didn’t have a father like that.”
In the May Diaz Observer, a picture depicting Grandpa Senobio laughing with Tia Connie tells how well they got along.
On April 13, 1949, one year after they were married, Ralphie Jr. was born. It was understandably an easy choice for them to name their baby boy, Ralph Senobio.
With Tia Connie marrying Uncle Ralph, you have two sisters marrying two brothers — a rarity in most families, but with so many siblings in each family, two Diaz/Gonzalez unions was bound to happen.
“When I continued to work at S.S. Kresge’s after I had Ralph, I would walk my baby in his stroller over to Esther’s house, and she would watch him for me. I sure missed her when she moved to New Haven,” Tia Connie said.
Still, the two families have remained close; the Diaz siblings have all the same aunts and uncles on both their mother and father’s sides.
“We’ve always been real close with Steve and Esther’s family. Our kids are like brothers and sisters, because they’ve always been so close to each other.”
Following Ralphie, Tia would give birth to Carlos in 1951, Rachel Ann in 1957, and Gilbert in 1960. This past
April Tia and Uncle celebrated 58 years of marriage.
Looking back, Tia Connie says she has always felt welcomed in the family.
“You can always feel a lot of love within the Diaz family,” said Tia. “There’s always a lot of hugs and kisses; it’s not always like that with other families. It’s always meant a lot to me.”
The feeling is mutual Tia, and I know I speak for all the family when I say, “We are so glad our Uncle chose YOU to be his wife.”
If you are reading this take the time to call Tia Connie, April 17 is her Anniversay with our Tio. Her phone number is 248-330-4497.
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