Beatrice (Hernandez) Hidalgo

Beatrice Hidalgo (nee Hernandez) of Hammond, IN was born on February 17, 1925 in Kansas City, MO and died Thursday morning, March 5, 2020 at her North Hammond home.

Beatrice worked in local Hammond Democratic politics and became known as one of Lake County, Indiana’s Hammond election poll volunteers from the late 1940’s along with her late husband, Brigido and into the 1990’s along with her precinct committeemen sons, late Daniel Hidalgo, Crown Point and Robert, Hammond and was one of Lake County, Indiana’s first Mexican American leaders during the early 1970’s and late 1980’s serving as secretary, treasurer, vice-president, and last president for the non-profit organization, the Latin American Society of Hammond (L.A.S.H.) which promoted Hispanic culture, economic growth, scholarships, and poor relief through fund raising and fund-raising dances.  She was a wholesomely-proud, second-generation Mexican American, anti-eugenic Democrat.  She performed volunteer work as the secretary and group leader for the Hammond Civic Center Nutrition Site and led casino senior bus tours from Indiana to Iowa.  She was a member of the American Legion Ladies Auxillary Post #369, the Señoras of Yesteryear Foundation (to compassionately chronicle with dignity the movement of Mexican American settlers into Northwest Indiana from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s into the Great Depression of the 1930’s during the Mexican Repatriation Acts spearheaded by the American Legion), the Saint Margaret Mary Church Altar and Rosary Society, the Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Makers of the Gary Diocesan World Apostolate of Fatima, the Bluebirds girls’ organization in which Beatrice served as a nest mother, and the Golden Times.  Beatrice attended Washington High School up to 9th grade in Indiana Harbor, IN before she “quituatied” high school to enter into the work force.  Beatrice worked at the Rainbow Restaurant in Indiana Harbor, Indiana as a waitress, a lather operator at Carnegie Steel Mill in Gary, Indiana and as a Janitress at El Taco Real Mexican Restaurant for the first fifteen years of its opening in Hammond, IN.  Beatrice was recognized in a proclamation by the Indiana House of Representatives by Carolyn Jackson, State Representative House District 1 upon her 95th birthday. Beatrice worked in tandem with British American, Jewish, Muslim, and Hispanic religious organizations to end ethnocentric racism in Lake County through legislation with the Laboratory for Automotive Mariological Behavior political action committee.  Beatrice was a founding member of the Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque Roman Catholic Church in Hammond, IN and a devoudt Roman Catholic with a deep devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Holy Eucharist of Jesus Christ.  She was 95.

Beatrice is preceded in death by her parents, Angela (nee Medina) and Cayetano Solano Hernandez of Hammond, IN (formerly of Indiana Harbor, Indiana); brothers and sisters: Cipriano (Evangeline) Hernandez (Highland, IN), Manuel Hernandez (Hammond, IN), Hilario (Ely) Hernandez, Jose (“Joseph”/”Joey”) Hernandez, and Felix Hernandez, Catherine Ramos Jablonski (Dyer, IN), and Mary Ann (Paul) Hernandez Trevino (San Antonio, TX); maternal grandparents, Eppolita Salazar (Monterrey, MX) and YideFonso Medina (Salito, Cawhila, MX); paternal grandparents, Cieophas Solano (Zacatecas, MX) and Angel Hernandez (Mexico City, MX); mother and father in-law, San Juanita (nee Cisneros) and Refugio Gasca Hidalgo (Topeka, Kansas); husband, Brigido Cisneros Hidalgo (Hammond, IN); daughter, Deidre Marie Hidalgo (Hammond, IN); son, Daniel Hidalgo (Crown Point, IN); son, Raymond Jim Hidalgo (North Judson, IN); daughter, Sandra Ann Hidalgo Dockstater Greider (Oak Park, IL); great grandchildren: Nichol Hidalgo Dockstater (Hammond, IN), Timothy Wallace Hidalgo (Hammond, IN), and Brianna Hidalgo Calanca (Crown Point, IN); former son in-law, Martin Lewis Ryan (late Sandra Ann) Dockstater (Hammond, IN); daughter in-law, Veronda (late Raymond Jim) McComas (formerly of North Judson, IN); loving companion of 32 years, Juan Jose Martinez (formerly of Hammond, IN), and Holy Cross Sister Christine Wirtz, her favorite German nun and catechist.

Beatrice leaves behind sons, Robert Darryl Leo Hernandez Hidalgo and Richard Brigido Hidalgo of Hammond, IN and Dean (Nancy Ann Malcolm) Hidalgo of Crown Point, IN; daughter in-law, Brenda Joyce (late Daniel) Wallace Hidalgo of Crown Point, IN; former daughter in-law, Margo Yvonne (late Raymond Jim) Carter Hidalgo of Hammond, IN; son in-law, James (late Sandra Ann) Gredier of Michigan City, IN.

Beatrice leaves behind her grandchildren from her late daughter Sandra Ann: David Sean (former Tana) Hidalgo Kakasuleff Greider, Daniel Scott (fomer Rosario Chavez) Hidalgo Dockstate Greider, Douglas Stephen (former Susie) Hidalgo Komosa Greider and Roxanne “Rokki” (former David) Hidalgo Greider Urchick; from her late son, Raymond Jim: Eric Christopher (former Alice Wallace Laposi) Hidalgo, Michael Hidalgo, Deron Hidalgo, Ryan (Jana) Hidalgo; from her son Dean: Mark Anthony (former Melissa) Hidalgo, Jamie (former James) Hidalgo Shrewsbury, (Neil) Calanca; from her late son Daniel: Daniel Roman (Laura Calabrese) Hidalgo and Nick Charles (Maritza) Hidalgo. 

Beatrice leaves behind great grandchildren from her grandson David: Brigido Greider and Aleeyah Greider; from her grandson Daniel:  Christopher Chavez, Anthony Greider and Daniella Greider; from her grandson Douglas: Deide Greider, Demi Greider, Devan Greider and Dean Grasham;  from her granddaughter Roxanne: Gabrielle Mayces, David Urchick and Andrew Urchick; from her grandson Eric: Jacob “Jake” Hidalgo, Christopher Harley Hidalgo, and Rachel Hidalgo; from her grandson, Deron:    Hidaldo; from her grandson Mark: Hannah Hidalgo and Jordan Hidalgo; form her granddaughter Jamie: Marcus Aurelius Shrewsbury, Kyle Shrewsbury, Grace Calanca and Oscar Calanca; from her grandson, Nick Charles: Ariana Hidalgo and Nico Hidalgo. 

Beatrice leaves behind a great great granddaughter from her great granddaughter, Rachel: Ezra Hidalgo; and a great great grandson from her great granddaughter, Demi Greider: Avery Charles.

Beatrice leaves behind her long-time childhood friend, Matiana Luna (East Chicago, IN)

A Mass of Christian Burial was held Friday, March 13, 2020 at 10:00 am at St. Margaret Mary Church, 1445 Hoffman Street, Hammond, IN with Rev. Stephen Kosinski officiating.  Burial at St. John Cemetery, Hammond, IN.  Visitation was held at the Hidalgo home (4719 Elm Avenue, Hammond, Indiana) from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 and from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Thursday, March 12, 2020 and also at the Church on Friday morning from 9:30 am until time of Mass.  FIFE FUNERAL HOME, 4201 Indianapolis Blvd., East Chicago, Indiana (Ph. 219-398-3210) in charge of arrangements.

Donations in Beatrice’s memory may be made to support the efforts of her favorite charities and organizations.  The Diocese of Gary, the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the World Apostolate of Fatima (USA), the Catholic Cemeteries of the Gary Diocese, the Maryknoll Sisters, the Holy Cross Sisters, St. Ann Shrine (St. Ann, IL), the Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Makers of St. Margaret Mary Church, Hammond, IN, Our Lady ‘s Rosary Makers (Louisville, KY), St. Joseph’s Indian School (Chamberlain, South Dakota), Fr. Flanagan’s Boys Town, Meals on Wheels of NWI, the Our Lady of Mount Carmel AGLO of Chicago, IL, whose community freely attended to Beatrice’s spiritual health, and to the Ann & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, IL (formerly, Children’s Memorial Hospital).  To share on online condolence, logon to www.fifefuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Beatrice (Hernandez) Hidalgo, please visit our floral store.