Mary Mata

Mom was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, daughter, sister, and aunt.  Most importantly mom was a lady of strong faith, devoted to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Mom was always praying.  She was a member of the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Layton, Utah. She married our father, Pedro Mata on October 3, 1959, and they had five daughters.  During mom’s illness dad was a caring and devoted caregiver as was her daughter, Darlene.  Visits from her sister Gloria and her brothers Steve and Johnny lifted her spirits.

While raising five girls mom went back to school and earned a Master’s Degree in Education, the first one to do so in her family.  She taught first grade for 30 years and was dearly loved by her students.  She was a leader in the community, helping to establish the Community Action Program (CAP), in the early 1960’s.  She taught her daughters the meaning of sacrifice and working hard.

Mom had a liver transplant 21 years ago and lived life to the fullest.  She was a fighter, a little spitfire, strong and feisty.  But she was also humble at heart and loved very deeply. Mom loved the mountains and going for drives to see the beautiful colors in the fall.  She liked to travel and those who knew her well knew that . . . mom loved Wendover!

She is survived by daughters, Debbie (Steve) Sanchez, Diana (Wade) Sundell, Delia Leon, Dolores (Dave) Colella, and Darlene (Raphael Jr.) Sepulveda, 18 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, one sister, Gloria (Bill) Romo, and five brothers, Steve Gallegos, Johnny (Mary) Gallegos, Abel Gallegos, Roger Gallegos and Marcus Gallegos.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jose A. and Rosa Gallegos, Higinio and Stella Gallegos, mother-in-law, Simona Mata, grandson, Kiniki Sepulveda, brothers Victor Gallegos, Joe Gallegos, and Marcus Gallegos, niece, Gina Gallegos, nephew, Michael Gallegos, sister-in-law, Rita Gallegos, brother-in-law, Margarito Mata Jr., and numerous aunts, uncles, great nieces and nephews.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, November 15, 2019 at 10 a.m. at Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 210 Chapel Street, Layton, Utah.  Friends may visit family Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Road.  A vigil with Rosary will be held at 7:30 p.m.

Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Gardens of the Wasatch, 1718 Combe Road, South Ogden.