Maria Eugenia Chois Valencia

Maria Eugenia Chois Valencia, 78, of Winston-Salem, NC, was greeted in Heaven on November 15th, 2024, by the Lord, her parents, her sisters, one brother, her granddaughter, Sofie, and our beloved family friend, Jack.

On July 2nd 1946, although she’d prefer we write 1966, our mother was welcomed by her parents and three siblings into this world. Maria, actually Maria Eugenia Del Perpetuo Socorro Valencia Vargas after the Virgin celebrated on the same day, was born in the small town of Remedios in Antioquia, Colombia. In Remedios, where her father was the town teacher, she and her six siblings completed most of their schooling. She later became the towns Queen during the its annual flower festival. Our mother graduated high school in Medellin, Colombia, and went on to become a self taught hair stylist. First sweeping floors, washing hair, and eventually opening her own small salon. It was probably having an in on all the neighborhood chismes (gossip) and passion for looking good that had our mother slinging hair to help her family and to save to get to the U.S.A. 

Although mami loved her guarro, dancing the night away, and loving on her nieces and nephews, she was determined to make it to the United States to make her “American Dream.” She became one of the organizers, and integral member, of a new organization in the 1970’s in Medellin called civil defense leaders. Dressed fashionably, perfect hair and make up, she patrolled the streets at night, armed, fighting crime. It was during this time that this extraordinary woman came up with a plan and ventured into the USA in 1979.

Always determined, she moved here with very little, speaking no English and knowing no one. It was in New Jersey that she fell in love and found a community of Hispanics from every country to become her family. After ICE chased her into Pennsylvania to hide among the Amish, she married and welcomed her first daughter. Although she did love some of the more simple ways of the Amish and the kindness of her neighbors, her Latin roots, the need for music and her language brought her back to NJ. In NJ she welcomed her second daughter and settled in. Working hard, enjoying her community, cultivating friendships and being a very present mother, wife and later grandmother was our mom living her “American Dream.” However, she wouldn’t want us to give you a long chronological story of her life or how she become a proud U.S citizen. She would want us to tell you about how fabulous she was and how very proud she was of the dysfunctional, yet loving family, she left behind. The latter her greatest joy and biggest success.

Mami was known for her lack of patience, always ripping into all her Christmas presents before the kids opened one, eating her dinner before others got theirs and cutting in line if no one was looking. Had a knack for telling it how it was and giving you her opinion whether you asked or not. She loved to wear a new outfit to every occasion, have perfectly manicured hands and toes and probably owned 20 pairs of tweezers. The woman always had perfect eyebrows. She loved expensive perfumes and we often asked her if she’d left any in the bottle. Her favorite quote, out of many “primero muerta que sencilla.” 

After retiring, she made her family her entire world. As a mother, she sewed costumes and special event dresses, threw detailed birthday and holiday parties, stayed up late helping with homework and never missed any moment in our lives. The language barrier never stopped our mom from being present at schools or with our friends and their parents. Needless to say, there were oh so many embarrassing moments we girls experienced interpreting for an angry Colombian mom who was going to make sure her voice was heard. Now, we understand that all those were important life lessons to speak up for ourselves and others. As a grandmother she spoiled our children rotten and they could do no wrong. She loved to make them smile, to cuddle them and shower them with love. She attended every milestone, recital, play, parade, and all in between. Her witty comments, endless Colombian sayings and HUGE smile will be greatly missed by all of us and by the many she touched. 

A memorial mass will be held in her memory on Saturday, November 23rd, 2024, at 10:30am, at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church.

Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com

Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel is assisting the Chois family.