by laura beth

Kenny's maternal grandmother, Lily Hernandez, passed away Monday December 15th after a battle with cancer. We were able to make the trip to Cottonwood, Arizona for the weekend to attend her funeral and spend time with the family. It was really great to see everyone, and although it would have been nicer under better circumstances, it was also a beautiful time of healing, crying, laughter, and memories. We were able to see Grandma last March and felt that it may for the last time, but hoped to see her again this Spring. However, she was ready to go and it was her time. The following is a combination of the eulogy that Kenny read at the funeral and Lily's obituary:

Lily Sahagun Hernandez was born February 26, 1926 in the mining town of Jerome, Arizona, to Amado and Eutiquianna Sahagun. She was the youngest daughter of 8 children and is survived by 2 sisters, Jane and Hazel. She attended Jerome Elementray School from Kindergarten through the 4th grade. In 1936 the family moved to Oatman, Arizona where she attended Oatman County School from 5th through 8th grade, then she went to Kingman High School. In 1940 the family moved to Los Angeles, California where she attended Roosevelt High and then graduated from Garfield High School.

As a little girl she loved to play with paper dolls and in her teen years she loved to dance.

in 1947 she married Oscar Hernandez at our Lady of Lourdes Church in Los Angeles. Lily was 21 and Oscar was 23. They used to love to have parties at their home and every New Year's Eve Oscar would dress up as either Old Father Time or the New Year Baby in a diaper. Lily worked as a banker in California.

In 1950, their son Oscar was born, followed by daughter Evie in 1952, daughter Terry in 1955, and son Michael in 1960.

In 1974 the family moved back to Arizona. Lily got her real estate license and ran the Jerome Market for several years. She was also a Pink Lady at Verde Valley Medical Center. She loved to paint, knit, crochet, decorate cakes and do all kinds of crafts. She was and avid bowler and loved to cook for anyone that came to the house. She always made sure that no one left her house hungry.

Most of all she enjoyed spending time with all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Lily leaves behind her two sons: Oscar and his wife Deborah and Michael, both of Cottonwood; two daughters, Evie and her husband Ken of Scotland, UK [Kenny's parents], and Terry and her husband David of Cottonwood; 12 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren. She will missed greatly. She was preceded in death by her husband, Oscar Hernandez.
I first met Lily when Kenny and I were dating. We made a trip to Arizona for Kenny's youngest sister, Erica's, high school graduation in 2000. I immediately felt a bond with Lily. She made me feel a part of the family even then. Every time we visited her, she was genuinely excited and happy that we were there. She would make us a meal, and force us to eat, even if we had already eaten. She really cared about each of her family members and she really will be missed. I wish she could have been a part of my life for longer.

At her funeral she requested, "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" by Elvis be played.