Mary Navarro Bermudez

Mary Navarro Bermudez, beloved mother, nana, sister, and heart of our family, went home to be with the Lord on October 28th of this year. She was 80 years old. Born in San Juan Bautista, she was raised by her parents, Augustine Navarro and Hortencia Canales, along with her six brothers and sisters.

A woman of deep faith, Mary was a mother to everyone fortunate enough to know her. She offered comfort, love, and unwavering support to those around her, welcoming and caring for all who walked through her door. A true Matriarch, she was wise and honest, even when honesty was the harder gift to give.

She and Clayton “Ronnie” Bermudez built a life together for close to 50 years. And together they raised three daughters, Lizzie, Yvonne, and Maxine, in Gilroy, CA. They taught their girls to always put hard work, faith, and family first, and she made sure to pass along a few of her simple joys, too, like a big bowl of buttered popcorn and thinly sliced salami.

Mary had a gift for bringing people together, and her cooking was second to none. Her tamales, adobo, and pancit were legendary, and she made sure no one ever left her table hungry or alone.

Mary was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Clayton Bermudez, her parents, Augustine Navarro and Hortencia Canales, and her brother George Palomino.

She is survived by her three beautiful daughters, Elizabeth (Todd) Marinchak, Yvonne (Jim) Falvey, and Maxine (David) Gullo; her five grandchildren, Malia and Ella Marinchak, and James Clayton, Isabella, and Francesca Falvey. She also leaves behind her brother, Sonny (Teri) Navarro; four sisters, Louisa Beltran, Flora (Ken) Sanks, Virginia (Jorge) Rivera, and Lupe (Paul) Hernandez. She will be lovingly remembered by her many nieces, nephews, godchildren, and friends she loved as her own.

In the new year (2027), we will honor her with a beautiful Mass followed by a Celebration of Life for all to join us in celebrating her, a time to share stories, laughter, and memories, and details will be shared soon.

Mary’s greatest legacy is the love she gave so freely and the many lives she made better simply by being part of them. If you knew her, you were fed, you were told the truth, and you were loved. We will spend the rest of our lives trying to do the same.