Maria L. Balderas

Visitation for Maria L. Balderas (nee Leal), 88, of Mt. Prospect, will be held Thursday, January 25, 2024 from 3:00 p.m. until the time of the memorial service at 8:00 p.m. at the Ahlgrim Family Funeral Home, 201 N. Northwest Highway, Palatine. A graveside service will be held on Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Cemetery, Palatine. Maria was born in Reynosa Tamaulipas, Mexico, and she sadly passed away January 18, 2024 in Hoffman Estates. 

Maria was the beloved wife of the late Ernesto Balderas; loving mother of Gerardo, Josefa, Juana, Ernestina, Maria Luisa (Miquel Hernandez), Jesusa (Alberto Murillo), Bartola (Jose Gonzalez), Carmela (Francisco Tores), Elvia, Manuela (Marcos Martinez), Griselda (late William Glazik), Ernesto (Veronica Balderas), Eddie, Melissa (Luis Puga), Luis and Maria Amparo; loving and adoring grandmother to 64 grandchildren including the late Joseph Glazik and Julian Balderas and loving great-grandmother of too many to count; dear daughter of the late Amador and Pepa (Nee Alanis) Leal; fond sister to Jorge, Blanca, Lupana, Ugenia, Graciela and Edelmiro.

Besides spending time with her incredible family, Maria enjoyed cooking and eating Mexican food, specifically menudo, bird watching and caring for pet birds, music, dancing and singing, and had the best potty mouth to make us all smile.  Maria's most cherished times were spent with and caring for her many grandchildren.