Aurora Cedillo

Aurora Cedillo, 71, passed away on Sunday January 29, 2023. Aurora was born in 1951 to Casimiro Cedillo and Maria De Jesus Jauregui. She was born in Santa Rosa, Texas, but spent most of her life in Salem, Oregon. She often said she was “Texas born, Oregon grown.”

Aurora had nine siblings. She was the eldest daughter and the keeper of all family stories and lore. She could name every one of her dozens of nieces and nephews, all of whom she loved and welcomed into her home with open arms.

She is survived by her partner, Jorge, and her four children, Jaime, Alma, Imelda, and Julie. She had a special and close relationship with each of them. She loved life and always encouraged her children to do the same. Everything she did was to lift her children up and to provide them with opportunities to live the life they wanted to live.

Aurora is also survived by 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She is an irreplaceable figure in each of their lives. Her grandchildren will remember her laugh, her storytelling, and as the grandma who initiated spontaneous adventures. She wanted her grandchildren to travel and was often whisking them off to new places around the state, the country and throughout Mexico.

Aurora described herself as a person who loved to “laugh, dance, sing and tell cultural and family stories.” This is how her students remember her. She spent her entire career as an educator in the Salem-Keizer school district. She was a fierce advocate for students and bilingual education. She was a respected community activist who fought injustices faced by underrepresented communities.

Aurora often adopted stray dogs, cats and people. She was generous and caring beyond measure. She lived a life of service. She was the soft light at dawn. She was laughter and love. Words can’t express how much she meant to those who knew her and how much she will be missed.

Services for Aurora will take place at Restlawn Memory Gardens and Funeral Home. All are welcome to attend. A viewing will be held on Friday, February 3, 2023 from 3 to 6:30 p.m. A service will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Burial will immediately follow the service. A celebration of life will also take place on Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m. at Chemeketa Eola located at 215 Doaks Ferry Rd. NW, Salem, OR 97304.

In lieu of flowers, Aurora’s family asks for donations to causes that were close to her heart:
Salem-Keizer Coalition for Equality: www.skcequality.org
Mano a Mano Family Center: manoamanofc.org