Leonor López Herrera

BIOGRAPHY

López Herrera was born in Santiago Ixcuintla, Nayarit, Mexico, on 8 August 1915 as the third child to parents Cipriano López, a blacksmith who was known for his skill in the art of forging iron, making horseshoes and pistols with cattle horn grips, and Petra Herrera, a housewife.

López Herrera completed her studies through third grade and attended a dressmaking academy. There she learned the seamstress’s trade, gaining skills in tailoring, which were highly valued at the time. She also regularly attended various craft workshops at the Santa Teresita Sunday School in Tepic, Nayarit, between 1970 and 2000. She also informally attended weaving classes in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, at craft stores such as La Perlita.

In February 1936, she married Leandro Macías Martínez and had two children: Elvia (1936-2017) and Francisco (1938-2024). However, Leandro abandoned Leonor shortly after the marriage, leaving her alone with her two children. Leonor chose to return to her parents’ home, without claiming her rights or property and without ever divorcing. Thanks to her seamstress’s trade, Leonor was able to earn an income to support her children with the help of her parents, a profession she continued working in until the early 2000s.

In 1950, at the decision of her father, Cipriano, they sold the property in Santiago Ixcuintla and left the blacksmith business to her brother, Pablo, to move to Tepic, Nayarit, where she currently lives, although she resides part of the year in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, a coastal city.
Leonor still walks with the aid of a cane. Her daily routine is based on getting up, tidying herself, eating breakfast, sitting in the living room to nap, sitting on the balcony to watch the sea and sunbathing, watching mass on television, reading the newspaper, and as soon as the sun sets, she gets dinner and goes to bed.

Her granddaughter said: “She eats everything, like a little bird: all day long, but in small quantities. She should never run out of coffee in boiled milk without sugar, milk, sweet pumpkin, bean tacos, sweet bread, and fresh water. The flavor doesn’t matter to her, but it must have a lot of sugar. If it’s hot food, it has to be very hot.” Her age and longevity are irrelevant to her, but she said she is grateful to live and enjoy every day. Her personality is described as strict, hardworking, upright, with very specific routines, having a submissive side, but also with an inner strength, an iron will, that makes her get up and carry out her independent activities even today. As of April 2025, she has five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by Gabriel Ainsworth and Fabrizio Villatoro, with the assistance of her family, and validated by LongeviQuest on 14 April 2025.

ATTRIBUTION

(The biography of Leonor López Herrera was compiled entirely through interviews with her family.)

GALLERY

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