Maria "Emma" Cortinastegland

Maria Manuela “Emma” Cortinas Tegland 87, of Yuma, Arizona, passed away surrounded by family Saturday, July 22, 2017 at her daughter and son in laws home Joe & Hilda Aleman where she lived since 2010. Emma was battling various illnesses in her last few years of life before her death. Emma was born March 30, 1930 in Corpus Christi, TX. She is the only daughter of the late Guadalupe Casillas and a father whom she never met Gonzalo Gonzalez whom preceded in death along with her husband Miguel Pacheco Cortinas, and 3 sons, Victor Flores, Robert Cortinas, Johnny Cortinas and daughter Irma Cortinas Dobson.

In her memory, Emma leaves behind 10 children: Jesse Gonzalez, Lydia Cortinas Wood (Roger), Willie Cortinas (Kristi), Yolanda Cortinas Manuel (Ron), Micaela Cortinas Gonzalez (Abraham), Hilda Cortinas Aleman (Joe), Ruben Cortinas (Christine), David Cortinas (Martha), Diana Cortinas (Victoria) and Mike Cortinas (Kim) with 107 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren and 7 great, great grandchildren.

Emma grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas until she was 12 years old and met her sweet heart Miguel “Mike” Cortinas and married at the young age of 13 years old, Emma attend school up to the 6th grade while her husband went to war in the Navy. After many years of traveling between Washington State and the State of Texas, the elder children encourage Mike and Emma as a Campesino family to stay for good in Walla Walla and in 1957 found a small home in Collage Place to live as they continued working the fields harvesting Walla Walla Sweet Onions for many Italian farmers though out the Walla Walla Valley.

Emma lived life to the fullest. She was a woman with many talents and a heart of gold. Her talents included cooking for the community at Cortinas Café located on the corner of 9th and Chestnut as Co-Owner with her husband.

If the restaurant was not enough she found time to work as a teacher’s aide for the Walla Walla School District at Garrison Jr. High School offering her Spanish to migrant children and was a home room teacher for several of her sons and daughters class rooms in elementary and Jr. High School teaching how to make homemade tortillas and decorative Piñata’s.

Emma a women of faith loved the Lord all her life, she attended the Salvation Army Services, Emma also attended St. Patricks Catholic Church, the White Temple Baptist Church, but in 1979 her son Robert introduced her and husband the LDS missionaries and was baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints where she received many callings as a missionary, Relief Society President and various other callings, she loved the LDS Hymns and always encourage her family to be good to one another and to remember, God is Good.

Viewing and Visitation will be held on Thursday August 3, 2017 5PM-6PM at the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, August 4, 2017 at 1:00pm at the First Congressional Church, 73 Palouse St., Walla Walla; and the community and friends are welcomed to attend. Following the church service a graveside service will be held at Mountain View Cemetery 2120 South 2nd Ave. Walla Walla, WA., with the dedication of the grave.

Memorial contributions may be made to Walla Walla Community Hospice, through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder St., Walla Walla, WA. 99362.

Family and Friends are invited to sign the online guestbook at www.herringgroseclose.com