Ameila Burruel Montijo de Aviles was born on the 29th day of September in 1920 in the small town of Mazatan, Sonora, México near the state capital of Hermosillo, Sonora where she would later teach dance and physical education. She was the daughter of José Burruel Riaño (1889-1945) and María Motijo Córdoba (1896-1961). She along with several of her siblings where adopted and raised by Rafael Córdoba Martínez and Inez Espinoza de Martínez. Amelia had a twin sister, Alejandrina Burruel Gracia that recently passed away on August 22, 2014. Other siblings inclued: Macario Burruel (deceased); Eloisa Burruel Tapia (deceased); Ester Burruel Robles (deceased); Rafael Burruel (age 88 – living in Hermosillo, Mexico); and Concepción Burruel Velasco (age 82 – living in Mexicali, Mexico). Amelia is also survived by Ofelia Burruel Soto, half-sister and Ernestina Sosa Tanóri, adopted sister of Alejandrina.

At the age of 14, Amelia began a lifelong passion for education by teaching at a small school in the town of Gálvez near her hometown of Mazatan. According to her sister, Concepción "Conchita", Amelia was even at a young age a leader of the family and the community. "Mi mamá Inéz siempre decía que teníamos que pedir permiso a Amelia antes de solucionar cualquier situación." (Mother Inez always said that you'll need to ask Amelia before you act on anything.) Early in her youth, she became a teacher and mentor to all the children of her extended family including half sisters and brothers. She took interest in the education and welfare of all the children in her village. This urge and commitment to serve others would stay with her the rest of her life. She then worked to support the family while studying full time to advance her career. As a young women, she move to Hermosillo where she studied at the local University and received her teacher's certificate for primary and secondary education. For the next several years, she taught school, regional dance techniques and became involved in local and state politics. Always a trailblazer and wanting to improve the economic plight of her family, she turned her attention to the possibility of immigrating to the United States where her sister, Eloisa, had already moved.

Amelia stared traveling to the United States with her adopted mother, Inez in 1932 and finally emigrated from Mexico in 1951, where she entered the USA with her first born, José Amado Burruel. He was 11 months old, she was 31. She lived for a short time in Los Angeles and later in San Bernardino, CA with her sister Eloisa "Locha" and Locha's husband, Luis Tapia. She then moved to Riverside, CA where she lived and raised five more children: Alex, Robert, Dean, George and Mary. They were children of Amelia and Harold Tompkins, a local merchant and vendor. In 1958, coincidently, both Harold Tompkins and Luis Tapia died unexpectedly, and Amelia and Eloisa decided to combine their households. Amelia left Riverside in Southern California and moved to Gilroy, CA in Northern California to join Eloisa, who had previously moved there. The family later increased in size when Amelia met and married Antonio Aviles, and Antonio "Tony" and Amelia "Mel" where born. Two of Antonio's grandchildren, Danny and David Oliveras also joined the family.

With a large "blended" family to raise and support, Amelia once again re-invented herself. She attended business and education classes at Gavilan Junior College in Gilroy and at San Jose State University. As if that were not enough, she started serving the local community in the early 1960's as a Community Organizer for the United Farmworkers Union newly formed by Cesar Chavez. She served as his secretarial assistant and local liaison. In mid-1960s, she helped organized the now famed "March to Salinas" where Cesar Chavez would eventually serve jailed time for refusing to obey a court order. Amelia was also active and involved in the lettuce boycott of the late '60s and early 1970's.

In the two decades that followed, she specialized in immigration and naturalization procedures; became a paralegal assistant to a local attorney; became a notary republic, taught ESL classes and prepared income tax returns for the community. She used her education and skills to serve local farmworkers, relatives, neighbors and anyone that in need of help. Her home was flooded by working class poor looking for legal and financial support and counseling. She never turned anyone away and she seldom asked for a fee. Much to the chagrin of her family, Amelia only charged "whatever the people can afford" for her services. Amelia continued teaching, motivating and helping anyone that came to her door until her retirement in 1998, when she move to Santa Clara to live with her son, George Tompkins and wife, Carol.

Amelia left a legacy of human compassion, community service, and a dedication to education as a means to achieve personal grown and prosperity. Above all else, she was committed to family, her religion, and the idea that one must always be able to face any issue with a sense of optimism, grace and style, no matter how difficult that issue may be. We will miss her without question but find solace in the fact that she led a long and courageous life. She leaves her eight children, fourteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren with a high bar that will be hard to match.

Viewing Wednesday, September 24, 2014 | 1:00 PM followed by a Vigil Service - 7:00 PM. Habing Family Funeral Home, 129 Fourth Street, Gilroy, California 95020. (408) 847-4040.

Mass and Funeral Service Thursday, September 25, 2014 | 10:00 AM
Saint Mary's Catholic Parish,11 First Street, Gilroy, California 95020. (408) 847-5151.