Joyful Memories
A Life’s Journey through the Eyes of Alisia Beltran Proctor
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Once when I was only 11 years old, we were traveling in Ciudad Obregon, in Sonora, Mexico, when a storm was brewing, so dad decided to leave town before the storm hit. As we were crossing the bridge that separates Ciudad Obregon and Guaymas, the storm hit us. The car stopped in the middle of the bridge, which is very low, near the water. On one side is the Pacific Ocean and on the other side is the breakwater. The electrical system quit and dad couldn’t get the car started and so out went the lights. As the sky was getting darker by the minute, he realized he needed to get help as soon as possible since the waves were beginning to hit the car and the wind was shaking the car back and forth. We were towing a small trailer which was also shaking back and forth. Dad gave me his gun and told my mother and I to stay in the car and protect ourselves if needed. He was lucky he was able to hitch a ride back into town. While we waited, mom and I were very scared! The waves got higher and higher and the wind seemed to want to knock us off the bridge. Mom thought we would be safer in the trailer, so we fought to open the door to get out of the car, but the wind was blowing very hard. Finally, we got out of the car and we struggled to get to the trailer, but it was worse in the trailer since it weighed less that the car; so again we fought against the wind to get back into the car. My father came back about two hours later with a mechanic and his tow truck. The mechanic crawled under the car to see what the problem was. The mechanic told us that a major screw that held all the electrical wires in place was just about ready to fall out and just barely hanging on. He tightened up the screw and the car started up again and the lights came back on, we were thankful the electrical system was restored. We just couldn’t get off that bridge fast enough but thank God we did.
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About the Book
When I realized that I was the last of my siblings, I decided to put pen to paper and began writing the story of my family history all the way back to the late 1800s. This is the story of a husband and wife who emigrated from Mexico to the United States, who became citizens, and then started a family with hopes of educating their children and becoming prosperous and living the American dream. There were many struggles along the way, especially during the depression years. My family had a strong dedication to the patriotism of the United States and volunteered to enter the military and support the cause during World War II. Through my father’s hard work, the family owned a thriving Mexican food products business. Although I faced many obstacles, I was able to overcome them and pursue my dream of a formal education. I obtained my master’s degree at age seventy. I have been married to three different husbands, which presented many opportunities for travel, and I have visited many places around the country and around the world. I have two wonderful sons who have been very supportive in my endeavors.
About the Author
Alisia’s two sons have been a joy and comfort all her life, including her senior years. She has a wonderful family. She earned her master’s degree at age seventy and was also ordained as a Baptist minister and is Associate Pastor at Park Vista Baptist Church in East Los Angeles. She volunteers as a clergy for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.