Don Samuel Félix Magaña, a Mexican immigrant considered a hero of the community, passed away on Monday, September 21 at his home in Los Angeles.
“He died peacefully at home, due to health conditions typical of his age. She was 88 years old, ”said her son Samuel.
He is survived in addition to Samuel, his daughters Hortensia, Diana and seven grandchildren. His wife Hortensia was ahead of him on the road when she passed away in 2006.
Don Samuel immigrated to the United States when he was between 15 and 16 years old. He is originally from Amaculi, a town in the Sierra de Durango, Mexico. In Los Angeles, in 1969, he met his wife and mother of his children, Hortensia, also originally from Durango, Mexico.
His son Samuel says that when his father arrived in the country he worked for two years in the agricultural fields of Fresno, then he came to live with an aunt in Los Angeles.
“The first thing he did when he arrived in Los Angeles was to take classes at night to learn not only English but Spanish, his own language because he came from a ranch in Durango where there was little access to education.”
For more than 20 years he worked at Ramona’s Mexican Food, a frozen ready-made food factory. The owner was Romana Bañuelos, who was President Richard Nixon’s treasurer, says her son.
Together with his wife Hortensia, Don Samuel opened a small shop that would later become Diana’s restaurant.
“My mother traveled to Tijuana to buy Mexican products to stock the store because here in Los Angeles they could not be found.”
Don Samuel had five Diana’s Mexican food restaurants, which remain open; and also opened a flour tortilla factory in Norwalk; and another one of corn tortillas in El Monte.
“We sell tortillas to many restaurants, supermarkets and lunch boxes.”
Samuel Jr. remembers his father as a man with a charming, kind character, always good.
“He treated the employees very well and gave them interest-free loans. Being an immigrant, she cared and identified with them ”.
He was very active in the community. He was part of the Mexican Civic Patriotic Committee, the Duranguense Federation and supported the Liyame Foundation for children with disabilities and women who suffer from abuse, created by his wife Hortensia.
Mauro Astorga Durán published on the Casa Durango Community Square page on the Facebook site upon hearing the news of the death: “Strength for the family. A great warrior who helped the community and the ranches of Durango ”.
His son Samuel says his father leaves behind a great legacy of service, hard work and giving back to the community.
“He worked up to two months before passing away. I was still working full time at the beginning of the year, seven days a week”.
In 2015, Mr. Samuel received the highest recognition given by the Mexican government abroad, the Ohtli award.
The last award was given to him by the Los Angeles Latino Chamber of Commerce when they presented him with the Latino Business Award in 2017.
“He was a real man who made an empire of tortillas. His forte was sending tortillas to various parts of the country and even Japan”, Says Irene Wongpec, who worked 35 years with Don Samuel Magaña.
He assures that he was a man of great vision, very upright, kind and generous. “It helped a lot of people.”
And he maintains that the best parades for the Independence of Mexico that have been held in Los Angeles were when he was president of the Mexican Civic Patriotic Committee ”.
The governor of Durango, Mexico, José Rosas Aispuro Torres said upon learning of the death:
“Don Samuel was a man emanating from the culture of effort who left his native Tamazula – the municipality where he was born – to the United States in search of opportunities, becoming a great businessman, member, founder and president of the Duranguense Federation USA Inc.
“He never forgot his roots in Durango, reaching out to hundreds of Mexican families in the United States and contributing to his state whenever he could. His mark will remain forever in the memory of the Tamazulenses and Durango ”.
The consul of Mexico in Los Angeles, Marcela Celorio mourned the loss of Don Samuel, whom she considered a community leader, businessman and philanthropist. “She distinguished herself for her deep commitment and generosity towards her fellow migrants as well as for her love for our country.”
It will be until the end of the week, when his family decides where the funeral of Don Samuel Magaña will be. Rest in peace!
