
Isabel Flores Beltran
Beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother. Great- Grandmother, Great-Great Grandmother
A famous writer once said, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give”.
If that is true, then Isabel Beltran made a great life. She was the most giving person I’ve ever known.
Isabel Reyes Flores was born on June 8, 1919, in Santa Ana, California. She was the second of 11 children to Jesus and Ventura Flores.
Isabel attended grade, junior high, and high school in Santa Ana. Throughout her life she worked up north, picking prunes, cotton, and strawberries, She answered phones for a radio station in Santa Ana, worked at a shoe factory in Garden Grove, and she worked at The Grand Market.
In October of 1940, Isabel met Antonio, via her brother Manuel. They dated and went to dances together for several months. Later Antonio’s father came over and asked Isabel’s father if Antonio and Isabel could get married. A big wedding was planned, but then the war came. They ended up getting married at the old Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on September 7th, 1941. They lovingly raised 5 children, Betty, Anthony Jr., Robert(Bobby), Dolores(Lola), and Anthony III, who have given them 11 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, and 6 great-great-grandchildren. Last year, Isabel and Antonio celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary.
Isabel was a devout Catholic very active in her church. She was a Guadalupana for more than 75 years. She devoted many hours to sewing and crocheting and was known for making a new blanket for all the new babies.
Isabel was an avid bingo player. She could be seen at various places throughout the week, trying to win that BINGO!
Isabel loved bowling and at one time bowled 3-4 times a week, carrying about a 150 average. She retired from that at the age of 87.
Isabel and Antonio went to a lot of different places together. Some of them include Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta, Hawaii, Las Vegas, many summers up in Napa, and camping in Yosemite.
As her husband Antonio has said, “A lot of people are not as good as Belle. Belle was something special. I was very glad when I met her. I let her do everything for me. She was my eyes and my ears, my whole world.”
She was a person of great devotion, love, and integrity. Above all, Isabel believed in her faith.
Grandma, you’ve raised us well and taught us so much. Thank you for being part of our lives. We all miss you.
