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Hortensia R. Magana
Press Release:
Sunday, July 8, 2008
 Death
of Hortensia R. Magaña
International
Philanthropist, Activist and Businesswoman
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA—Hortensia R. Magaña, who started out in
the United States as a simple factory worker to eventually lead
and own one of the largest tortilla wholesalers in the nation,
passed away Tuesday, July 1st, surrounded by family and friends.
Her life was the epitome of the American Dream.
Mrs. Magaña, who arrived to Los Angeles as an immigrant from
Nombre de Dios, Durango, Mexico in the 1960’s, started working
as a factory worker in Los Angeles.
Eventually, she and her husband, Samuel, opened a small grocery
store in Gardena, California in 1969—named Diana’s, located on
the corner of 166th Street and Normandie Avenue.
Using proceeds from the small grocery store, which still
operates today, they bought their first tortilla factory in
Maywood, California in 1973.
Over the past three decades, she and her husband built up
Diana’s Mexican Food Products, Inc. into a leading corporation.
The company produces wholesale tortillas and other Mexican food
products, and owns a chain of Mexican restaurants and grocery
stores across Southern California.
Mrs. Magaña’s company has evolved into one of the largest
wholesalers of tortillas in Southern California, Las Vegas and
across the Pacific in Japan—where the popularity of authentic
Mexican cuisine has, in recent years, skyrocketed.
A recognized business leader in the Latino community, in 1984
Mrs. Magaña helped establish and was a founding member of the
Mexican Chamber of Commerce, which promotes businesses serving
the Latino community in Southern California.
Because of Mrs. Magaña’s successful business acumen and
leadership skills, the Los Angeles Business Council named her
Businesswoman of the Year in 1998.
However, she was best known internationally as a caring
philanthropist and community activist.
Last year, the Government of the State of Durango, Mexico named
her “Woman of the Year” because of her extensive and important
charity work.
In 1991, she started and funded the Fundación Liyame in Durango,
Mexico, which trains and assists parents of mentally and
physically handicapped children. The Foundation helps integrate
these children into the mainstream population by providing
transportation to special education schools and training them
with basic work skills.
In addition, Mrs. Magaña’s international organization conducts
regular workshops for parents and provides material support on
caretaking and hygiene practices for handicapped children.
Mrs. Magana was also a respected leader in a variety of public
charities in Los Angeles.
Between 1984 until 2006, she served as both Executive and Public
Relations Director of Comité Mexicano Cívico Patriótico, one of
the nation’s oldest Mexican service organizations. Founded in
1931, the committee organizes events and relief efforts around
important Mexican holidays including the televised Mexican
Independence Day Parade in East Los Angeles.
In 2005, Mrs. Magaña organized a special collection during the
Mexican Independence Day Parade festivities to help victims of
Hurricane Katrina and the American Red Cross.
From 1984 to 2000, Mrs. Magaña had served as a board member and,
for a period of five years, as President of The Comité de
Beneficencia Mexicana, a not-for-profit social service
organization which educates and assists immigrants about
healthcare, immigration, and educational issues.
During Mrs. Magaña’s tenure, the Casa del Mexicano provided
clothing and other provisions to hundreds of needy families in
the Boyle Heights/East Los Angeles area and helped build seven
housing units after the devastating earthquake in Mexico City in
1985.
Mrs. Magaña also helped relief services after the destructive
Hurricane Paulina hit Mexico in 1997.
Since 2001, Mrs. Magaña was Chairman of the Board of the Consejo
de Latinos Unidos, a national public charity which educates and
defends Latino consumers against fraud and abuse. Her leadership
provoked three congressional hearings on hospital price gouging
of uninsured Latinos.
Due to her love for arts and culture, Mrs. Magaña founded the
Fundación Pro-Herencia Cultural de Mexico in 1983, which
promotes Mexican cultural and folk arts and the work of the
indigenous cultures of Mexico. She also spearheaded Hispanics
for the LA Opera, which promotes support and attendance to the
Los Angeles Opera within the Latino community.
Mrs. Magaña, 70, is survived by her beloved husband of 44 years,
Samuel, her mother Maria Murillo de Rodriguez, her son Samuel,
Jr., her daughters Hortensia Magaña Berry and Diana Magaña
Haagen, seven grandchildren, and eleven brothers and sisters.
A public viewing and rosary will be held Thursday, July 10th at
6:00 p.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 1050 West
163rd St., Gardena, California. The funeral mass will be held at
the same location on Friday, July 11th at 10:00 a.m. The Burial
will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, 5835 W. Slauson Blvd.,
Culver City.
Consejo de Latinos Unidos
820 South
Indiana Street
East Los Angeles, CA 90023
Need Help?
Please call us toll free:
1-800-474-7576
or in Mexico at 01 800 823-6416
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