In Memory Of
Mario Corona

Mario Corona Aguilar lived in Santa Clara, Utah for over 25 years. He was born in Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico. He was raised in a single parent household where he worked at an early age and also hunted game to help feed his family. His mother Carmen would bake bread to make ends meet and Mario would go door to door to sell it. Carmen eventually married Carlos Dorantes, whom Mario cared for as an elderly man many years later. Mario served in the military in Mexico, where he enjoyed learning martial arts and self-defense because he was bullied a lot as a child. He grew up in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico where he met his future wife. He married his childhood sweetheart, Elva Guerrero, at age 19. Soon after their first child, Mario and Elva visited California and fell in love with the idea of an American dream. Mario’s mother foretold what her son’s profession would be for his entire life, and she was right. He became a top tier mechanic and continued this work until he retired. Mario moved his family to Oxnard, California for years to come and found a great job working for CPS - repairing oil rigs on shore. He taught his two sons - Jose Mario, and Mario Israel this same trade and eventually all three of them worked as mechanics together at the same company. Eventually, they owned their own auto mechanic business, the eldest in Mexico, second eldest in California and Mario had his in Utah.

In case you were wondering, Mario and Elva both applied to become U.S citizens in the 80’s under the farmworks reform. This blessing was made possible during a time when naturalization had an easier path. One of his sons even had the opportunity to serve in the U.S Marines. He was deployed twice to Iraq and learned how to fix helicopters as well. Mario later became a diesel mechanic instructor at Dixie State College in Southern Utah and was loved by all his students.

Mario’s hobbies included water dowsing, gold hunting, singing and playing the guitar. He loved learning, and always had his nose in good books, especially those of a spiritual nature. He and his family became members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints after he prayed mightily on a mountaintop and asked God to help him guide his family. Within two weeks, Latter-Day Saint missionaries showed up at his doorstep and taught him about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Mario had many church callings and served faithfully. He was a great mission leader in the California, Camarillo Stake, where he helped the Spanish speaking community grow in the church. In his latter years, he took much pride in the fact that his two sons had served missions, and all his children were married in the temple.

After retirement, Mario attended blind school in Salt Lake City as his diabetes began to take a toll and became 80% blind. There, he learned skills in woodworking and cooking. He especially liked to practice this skill blindfolded. Mario made friends everywhere he went and loved to share the gospel with anyone who would listen. He was often a mentor to immigrant families looking to better their circumstances. He would give them words of encouragement, underscored with spiritual principles while fixing their broken down cars or changing their spark plugs. The lesson Mario always emphasized was to put God first in all things, and the blessings would surely follow. One thing is certain, Mario loved God and his family above all else–even more than the gold he obsessively prospected.

Mario and his wife had five children–two sons and three daughters. His eldest daughter Elva Shule became an English teacher, his second eldest Mayra Aracely a makeup artist and graphic designer and his youngest Liliana Corona an actor, filmmaker and business owner. He currently has 13 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. His legacy will live on, and he is loved for all the goodness he shared!
If you would like to attend Mario’s funeral services, they will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2024. The viewing will begin at 9:00 AM at the Sunset 9th Spanish Ward building located at 750 N. 1000 W. Saint George UT, 84770. It will be followed by the funeral service at 10:00 AM, and the burial thereafter at the Santa Clara Cemetery. The address is Ancestor Way, Santa Clara, UT 84765.

If you would like to share your condolences, please do so at www.serenitystg.com. If you would like to donate to Mario’s GoFundMe campaign to help pay for Mario's medical debt, contribute to his memorial, and help ease Elva's financial burden. Please do so at https://gofund.me/32dce303. God bless you during this holiday season and thank you in advance for your contribution.