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Sernas of the World
This blog is posted by Louis F. Serna, historian, author, and genealogist
who developed the earliest family history of the "Sernas" of New Mexico,
descended from the de la Sernas of Spain. The genealogy he developed
is the basis for current studies of Serna families today.
About Me, Lou Serna
I was born and raised in Springer, NM in northern New Mexico. My maternal
family are the Vigil family from the Mora - Chacon area. I graduated
from Cimarron High School where I met and married my sweetheart of close
to 50 years...! Gloria Martinez de Serna. We live in Albuquerque, New
Mexico.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Welcome..! I hope you find my blog both interesting and informative.
If you are a past reader of my "Sernas of New Mexico NEWSLETTER", (see
below), you will remember some of the subjects I wrote about, namely,
the Serna family history, the history of the people of New Mexico, and
the many short stories about people, places, and events around New Mexico
and the world! You will also remember that I encouraged everyone to
send me their questions, comments, pictures, and "things" that interested
them, and NOT JUST ABOUT SERNAS, but about anything that might be of
interest to my worldwide readers.., and boy! did we have a good time
and learn a lot about history..!
I want to welcome you to "visit" with me again..! and let's talk about
old times, la familia, New Mexico, and our many wonderful cousins around
the world..! and again.., I welcome all families and friends... not
just Sernas..!
If we have never met, let's do that now and let's enjoy some history,
some good food, and some great memories of our great family histories..!
Louis Serna [email protected]
The Sernas of New Mexico NEWSLETTER
From 1997 until 2006, I produced a family history newsletter about my
family, the Sernas of New Mexico. I had previously done some 40 years
of research on my Serna family, taking that history back from me, through
the years back to 1626 when my first ancestor, Luis Diego de la Serna
came to what is now New Mexico in 1625. I then went back through the
family's history in Spain when we were the "De La Serna" family, to
1360 in the mountains in the north of Spain. I wrote a book titled:
"The Sernas of New Mexico, a Family History" in which I documented that
family history and included a genealogy of 20 generations, and much
more. I wrote several other books about historical people, places and
events that in many way affected the development of the state of New
Mexico and even of the United States. In 2005 I wrote another book titled:
"The Sernas of the World" in which I included much of our family history,
but also added a great deal of new information regarding the family's
origins before 1360, into the region of the Middle East..! I also included
many conversations and newly discovered family history from distant
cousins in Argentina, Cuba, France, Spain, and even the Ukraine..! In
postings that will follow, I plan to share that history I mentioned,
and a great deal more..! I hope you will enjoy and learn from the postings
that follow. I also hope that as you did before, with the Serna Newsletter,
that you will send me your questions, news items, pictures, and anything
that you would like to share with my worldwide Serna family and others..!
Louis Serna
Book: THE SERNAS OF THE WORLD, A FAMILY HISTORY
By Louis F. Serna
Louis is a native of northern New Mexico in the United States. He was
born in Springer, and lived in Cimarron during his High School years.
Two years after graduating in 1959, he married his High School sweetheart,
Gloria Martinez. In 1966, Gloria’s mother gave Louis a packet of old
pictures, telling him that they were her ancestors and asking him to
“find out who they were” as she was very proud of who she was. She asked
Louis to tell her children who their ancestor's were. Many of the pictures
were of her Maxwell ancestors, of the famous Maxwell Land Grant family
of northern New Mexico. She died of cancer in March of that same year.
Louis, knowing nothing of genealogy or the process of doing a family
history study, and to honor her wishes, started writing letters to the
departments of Vital Statistics of several states, asking for help in
determining who the people in the pictures were.
In 1975, Louis had amassed enough information about the Maxwell’s that
he self published his first book, titled; “Tessie”, in memory of his
mother in law. By then, he had become quite knowledgeable in the processes
of family history study and in 1994, he had completed the history of
his own family and self published another book titled, “The Sernas of
New Mexico, a Family History”. On completing these books he published
several other books having to do with the history of northern New Mexico,
including some of its “desperados’ such as Black Jack Ketchum, Clay
Allison, and others.
The Sernas of the World, a Family History is a compilation of the original
“Serna” book, and the latest information Louis has researched about
the origins of Sernas (and other Spanish families), through their earliest
migrations from the Middle East and the Celtic Isles which later became
the British Isles and across Europe to what is now Spain. He covers
their development in what is now Spain, their Moorish occupation, their
establishment of a united Spain, free of the Moors and their sailings
to the New World., a period from before Christ to the present.
Louis has included a genealogy of his Serna’s and the De La Serna’s
of Spain from 1360 to the present. He has included many Coats of Arms
of De La Serna’s in Spain, and has included Interviews he has personally
done with Sernas and De La Sernas from Spain, Argentina, the Ukraine,
France, and others…, thus the title; “The Sernas of the World…..”
The book is full-size 8 ½ X 11, spiral bound, and contains 200 pages
of Serna history. There are 103 pictures including many Coats of Arms.
Source:
Louis F. Serna
11831 Bucking Bronco Trail SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123
Marcelino Serna - Outstanding World War I Hero
Introduction to Marcelino Serna
Every nationality in every war has its war heroes…. Men who go far beyond
the call of duty and distinguish themselves by their bravery. They are
first of all, men with commitment to “ideals”, perhaps implanted by
their upbringing, their family life, religion, or something in their
past that makes them dedicated to what they are. They are also men who
have developed a sense of commitment to their “fellows in arms,” better
known as “their buddies,” and see them as more than a fellow soldier,
perhaps something akin to a real brother… someone who you must look
after…, as he looks after you! Finally, war heroes distinguish themselves
by their actions in the face of deadly circumstances!
Who knows what that last thought is in a man’s head when after seeing
his buddies maimed by gunfire or blown apart by explosives, decides
he has had enough and rushes into the face of enemy fire…! Most of them
don’t survive to tell the story, as they too are cut down by enemy fire!
Seemingly, only a very few find themselves facing death time and time
again, and their bravery is so unselfish that it is not they who tell
of their bravery, but their buddies or others who witness their almost
unbelievable deeds!
Through the great wars that the U.S. has fought, there have been a few
outstanding heroes who are immortalized in books, movies, and grand
parades down main streets… perhaps the most publicized was Sergeant
York who in WWI, single-handedly picked off many German soldiers as
they poked their heads up from their trenches and then took scores of
prisoners all by himself..! Truly an outstanding warrior who deserves
the praise he received. There was however, another soldier in WWI who
performed the same feats of bravery and outstanding heroism, and although
he saved many American lives by his bravery, he would not receive the
same hero’s welcome or be immortalized in books and movies. It was perhaps,
because his name was Marcelino Serna… a Mexican who was not even an
American citizen! This is his story.
I am taking the liberty here to tell his story as it was written in
a Borderlands article by Elena Gomez. In keeping with my blog theme
of featuring “outstanding Sernas of the world”, I feel that Marcelino’s
story needs to be told and re-told to honor his memory and to give credit
where it is due…
Outstanding World War I Hero
Marcelino Goes to War
When World War I was raging in Europe, a young, undocumented Mexican
immigrant was working in a Kansas railroad maintenance crew, for the
Union Pacific Railroad. He had been born in Chihuahua City, Chihuahua,
Mexico near a mining camp on April 26, 1896. In 1916, he passed through
Juarez on his way to El Paso to seek employment “al norte.” Eventually,
he made his way to Colorado in search of work in the sugar beet fields.
In 1917, the United States declared war against Germany, and that same
year in Denver, federal officials picked up a group of young Mexicans,
including Marcelino. While waiting for their draft status to be verified,
and their citizenship, Serna decided that he would volunteer for the
Army instead of risking deportation.
He spent only three weeks in training, and at the age of 20, he was
shipped to Liverpool, England. Private Serna was assigned to Company
B, of the 355th Infantry, of the 89th Division, also known as the “Midwest
Division.” This division was to see some of the heaviest, bloodiest
action of the war and is well chronicled. It was know as the Midwest
division due to the great number of soldiers who hailed from Kansas,
Colorado, Utah, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Arizona. Serna would see
action with this group in some of the most rigorous campaigns of the
war, including the Lucey Sector, Puvenelle Sector, Meuse-Argonne, St.
Mihiel, and Ennezin.
When he arrived in France, so soon after his encounter with the officials
at Denver, his record caught up with him and his Captain asked him if
he wanted a discharge as it was now clear that he was a Mexican National.
In the broken English that he knew, like 67 other men in his outfit,
Serna refused the discharge through a bilingual soldier who translated
for him. He told the Captain, “I want to stay with my buddies.” The
Captain agreed.
Serna’s unit began advancing towards the Meuse River and Argonne Forest,
located in the northeastern region of France between the Meuse and Aisne
Rivers. At St. Mihiel, they were moving in heavy rain through thick
brush when a German machine gun cut down 12 soldiers in a quick volley.
Serna assessed the situation and asked permission from his lieutenant
to try to get closer to the machine gun nest. At 5 foot 6 inches, he
was the scout for the unit and he felt he could move ahead more easily
than the others who were content to lie as low as possible to avoid
getting shot! In 1962, in an El Paso Times interview, he recounted that
experience to reporter, Bill Birch;
“I jumped up and ran about ten yards and then hit the dirt. I kept this
up until I was in the machine gunner’s left flank. He had hit my helmet
twice with machine gun fire when I was running. When I got close enough,
I threw four grenades into the nest and eight Germans came stumbling
out with their hands up. Another six lay dead. I held my prisoners until
help arrived.”
Serna recounted another battle to Birch that occurred during a second
scouting mission at Meuse-Argonne. In that battle, he captured 24 German
soldiers with only his Enfield rife and several grenades. He recalled;
“I saw a sniper walking on a trench bank and wounded him from about
200 yards away. I followed his blood trail into a trench and heard Germans
talking. I saw four of them and started shooting, dropping three of
them. When the rest of the Germans came out, I changed positions several
time, fooling them into thinking there were more of us than just me.”
About 45 minutes later, Serna was close enough to throw grenades at
their position. He added;
“They ran into the dugout and I lobbed three grenades into it right
behind them. They came out with their hands up and I realized there
were 24 of them! 26 more lay dead! I herded them into a tight group
with a .45 automatic in one hand and a Luger which I had picked up in
the other. After a few minutes I was able to fire a SOS flare and my
buddies came to help me.”
Serna continued to display that kind of heroism in many battles that
followed and at some point he must have felt that his luck must run
out soon as others were falling all around him! He told Birch in the
interview, that after months of combat without a scratch, he was shot
by a sniper through both legs, four days before the Armistice was declared!
He recalled,
“I went down and that probably saved my life. In a little while I was
able to get up and hobble toward our lines using my rifle as a crutch.”
In a 1978 El Paso Times interview with Ramon Villalobos, Serna said
that he had spent several months in an Army hospital in France recovering
from wounds. While he was there, Gen. John J. Pershing, Commander in
Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces, pinned the Distinguished
Service Cross on him. This was the second highest American combat award.
A few days later, Field Marshal Foch, Supreme Commander of the Allied
troops, awarded him with the French Croix de Guerre for bravery!
For his gallantry in action, Marcelino Serna was awarded;
two French Croix de Guerre with Palm medals,
the Italian Cross of Merit,
the French Medaille Militaire,
the British Medal of Honor,
the French Commemorative Medal,
the WWI Victory Medal with five stars,
the Victory Medal with three campaign bars,
the St. Mihiel Medal,
the Verdun Medal, and
two Purple Hearts.
Serna was the most highly decorated World War I soldier in Texas!
Serna served the remainder of his military time with occupational forces
in Germany. In May 1919, he was discharged at Camp Bowie, Texas. He
married and settled in El Paso. In 1924, he became a U.S. citizen and
worked at the Peyton Packing Company. Later, he became a Civil Service
employee at Fort Bliss, Texas.
In 1960, he retired as a plumber from William Beaumont Hospital. In
1973, the Marcos V. Armijo VFW Post 2753 honored him with a 40-year
pin for continuous membership.
During his retirement, he spent most of his time tending to his flower
garden until his house and others in the neighborhood had to be removed
to make way for the Chamizal Highway. He moved his family to a new residence
on Buena Vista Street and continued gardening. He participated in Veteran’s
Day parades for years. On February 29, 1992, Private Marcelino Serna
died at the age of 95.
Although he was once contacted about writing a book of his war experiences,
nothing ever came of it. Neither did Hollywood bother to take notice.
Nevertheless, Marcelino Serna has a place in history in the U.S., British,
French, Italian, and other historical archives as well as in the hearts
of the men who knew he surely saved their lives by his actions. He joins
thousands of Latinos who have quietly served and sacrificed for their
native or adopted country, the United States of America. Perhaps..,
for them.., that was enough.
Final Tribute to the highest decorated World War I Veteran in Texas
History!
After his death, the Honorable Texas Representative, Ronald D. Coleman
introduced legislation before the House of Representatives, as a Tribute
to the late Marcelino Serna – H.R. January 17, 1995 -
In that legislation, Coleman requested that Serna be awarded the Medal
of Honor posthumously, which he clearly deserved. In his statement,
Coleman stated that although other countries had awarded him their highest
honors, the U.S. had not, citing as reasons;
“that he was a buck private, and because he was not a citizen of this
country at the time, or because he could not speak English well…”
Poor testament for a man who wanted to stay with his buddies and proved
to be one of the bravest soldiers in WWI...!
Louis Serna, from an article by Elena Gomez.
Ref: http://www.epcc.edu/nwlibrary/borderlands/23/marcelino%20serna.htm
GENEALOGIES of LOUIS and GLORIA SERNA
Following are the paternal and maternal genealogies of Louis Serna,
from Alvar Gomez de la Serna, c.1360 and Lucas Montes de Vigil, c.1500
of Spain. The Serna genealogy of Spain applies to all Sernas / de la
Sernas of the World. Also shown are the paternal and maternal genealogies
of Gloria Martinez de Serna from her maternal Hugh H. Maxwell and Piere
Menard, c.1700. Go to the links provided to view the genealogies. http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/e/r/Louis-F-Serna/index.html
Another Outstanding Serna of the World... Pepe Serna - Movie Star..!!!
A visit with an Outstanding Actor - Pepe Serna
I received a phone call on Tuesday, May 8, 2007, about noon while I
was in the process of building a deck at our home in Albuquerque. Gloria
called out to me to say that Pepe Serna was on the phone. I dusted off
and came in to take the call, wondering if it was indeed THE Pepe Serna,
or another Serna wanting some help with “Serna” genealogical research.
Gloria was preparing a light lunch for us, and looked at me with that
look that says, “is this going to be another one of those one hour phone
conversations…?” When I got on the phone I was very pleased that it
was indeed Pepe Serna, (the Actor), who I had sent an email to some
time ago, asking if I could do an article on him as an “Outstanding
Serna of the World” in my Blog, “THE SERNAS OF THE WORLD”. We exchanged
pleasant introductions and I noticed that he was very friendly and gracious…
in the way that we Hispanos my age, seem to converse… immediately respectful
and ready to oblige… something from our era as children in the late
‘40’s, early 50’s, when we were taught respect and honor before we learned
anything else..! (Pepe was born in 1944 and I in 1941.) I knew we would
soon become friends. We made some small talk about my Blog and some
of the personalities I have featured as “Outstanding Sernas of the World.”
Pepe was particularly impressed with the Sernas of the Ukraine and the
fact that we Sernas have spread to so many lands across the globe over
the centuries. He was also impressed with Joe Serna Jr.’s call to me
a few years ago when he was Mayor of Sacramento, California, and joked
that he didn’t get a chance to visit with Gloria on the phone as Joe
had. He indicated that he was looking at my Blog as we spoke and made
reference to my article on Joe Serna Jr., and how I kept him waiting
on the phone also, while I broke away from a project I was working on
in my shop…. He said it was comical that when I finally came in, Gloria
was laughing and joking on the phone with Joe so I assumed it was someone
we knew locally…. To my surprise, it was THE Joe Serna Jr. and now here
was Pepe finding himself in the same situation! We were soon talking
about things we have in common… a love of our heritage, a desire to
help others to understand our culture and our history, and our artistic
projects and our teaching experiences… Pepe started telling me about
growing up in Corpus Christi during the musical explosion in the ‘50’s
that became Rock ‘n Roll..! “Corpus” became one of the musical hotspots
in that era. I asked Pepe about his family and how he got his start
in the movie business and he quickly told me that he has actually been
“performing” all of his life…! And that he always knew that he would
be a “performer” since he was five years old back in 1949…! He told
me how when he was five, his family was invited to some social event
at some relative’s home, and the kids started doing some skits and “play
acting” and he just stepped right into the middle of it and according
to him, “made a fool of myself”… Someone in the crowd had a movie camera
and actually filmed him doing his “performance” as he was by then, the
center of attention…! Later, that person and his family came to visit
with Pepe’s parents and they brought the film along and showed it to
them. They all thoroughly enjoyed Pepe’s antics and Pepe saw himself
for the first time, performing before an audience who were obviously
enjoying his “performance”… He knew then, at the age of five, that he
was going to be a performer..! Little did he know then that he would
later go on to appear in more than 100 feature films, 300 television
shows, and countless improv workshops where he teaches and motivates
youngsters to develop their skills in front of the camera. (Pepe’s list
of movies is so long that I will simply suggest that you type “Pepe
Serna” in your search engine and read the many articles about him and
his movies.) Some of his movies of particular note are, Scarface (1983)
with Al Pacino, Silverado (1985) with Kevin Costner, The Rookie (1990)
with Clint Eastwood, and American Me (1992) with Edward James Olmos,
Conagher, Caddyshack II, Red Dawn, The Jerk, The Streets of L.A., and
many more. Pepe was fortunate to have been “discovered” by the legendary
producer, Hal Wallis, who also discovered such talents as Burt Lancaster,
Kirk Douglas, and Elvis Presley..! Hal Wallis debute Pepe in his film,
Red Sky in Morning in 1971. Coincidently, New Mexico was the site for
some of that movie. By then, Pepe had been in many local school and
community “productions” where he was often the “main act.” He was in
the controversial Mexican production of “Hair” and in many of the sometimes
raucous productions of the 50’s and 60’s when the music and youngsters
were all caught up in “Rock and Roll” and all the trends and lifestyles
that went with it. After high school he spent six months in the Marine
Corp Reserve program, and even then, he saw the rough training as just
another “production”, with the Drill Sergeant as the Director and he,
as an “actor.” He found the whole experience quite enjoyable in that
way..! After his military service, he headed for Los Angeles where he
hoped to make it in show business and he continued to work in the Performing
Arts. He said that the day after he arrived in Hollywood, he met a young
lady, Diane, who would become his wife of now 38 years..! He said that
she actually “supported” him through the first year of their marriage
while he developed the contacts and performances that finally broke
him into the movies. His first break in movies came in 1970 on the Roger
Corman directed film, “Student Nurses.” Early in his career he played
the lead in a movie called “The Bullfighter.” From there, he went on
to play in a variety of supporting roles, filming four significant movies
in New Mexico with actors such as Gregory Peck, Burt Lancaster, Michael
Douglas, and recently, Danny Glover. I asked him how he came by the
name “Pepe” and he said that when he was a child, his older brother,
Bibi, could not pronounce babe, and so he called him “Pepe” and the
nickname stuck throughout his life. Over the years, he has traveled
to places in the world where his acting skills were part of major movies.
Well after that performance as a five year old, Pepe has displayed the
skill as an actor which earned him prominent roles in great movies with
great actors. Now in his 60’s, he can afford to be more selective about
taking roles that continue to highlight his talents as a proven actor
and his loyal fans continue to enjoy his performances….! No longer the
child “making a fool of himself,” he is now a “headline” actor known
around the world..! Quite an accomplishment for a Chicano kid from Corpus
Christi…! During the years that he was developing a great reputation
as a prominent actor, Pepe never forgot his origins and his struggle
to “break” into the world of movie making. He has developed acting groups
and has been part of community productions by aspiring your actors,
to help them develop their acting skills and hopefully make it in show
business..! He is a frequent speaker at events where he is asked to
share his views and experiences as an inspirational speaker. He has
even visited with Grade School students teaching them to verbalize and
role play in a way that brings out their natural talents. Always the
actor, and sometimes the teacher, Pepe welcomes every opportunity to
share his skills and experience to help youngsters of every age. As
he was telling me about this enjoyable part of his life, I sensed that
Pepe really enjoys working with the youth and he went on about how rewarding
it is for him to see kids grasp what he is trying to teach them about
making the most of their talents.
Pepe... working on one of his production workshops with acting students.
More on Pepe Serna
Pepe is known to be a master of the improv. He has created a character
similar to the character, “Chuco” who he played in the movie, “Car Wash.”
He developed the character and a wardrobe from his 1987 stage production
of “Zoot Suit,” and created a one-man show he calls, “El Ruco, Chuco,
Cholo, Pachuco…!” The production is Pepe’s version of the panorama of
Latino cultural history. He performs in the brightly colored zoot suit
of the “pachuco” era, complete with a pheasant feather in his hat..!
I could tell that Pepe really enjoys this part of his life as he recited
several “lines” from that production for me over the phone..! Much to
my delight..! Pepe told me that during filming in New Mexico, he became
inspired by all the beautiful scenery and the colorful artwork that
was being produced by so many artists. He said he decided that he would
try his hand at expressing his artistic talent and so he bought himself
a watercolor set and started painting, although he had never studied
art. His wife, Diane immediately saw great potential in his work and
encouraged him to continue to paint and he soon develop a style that
became much in demand..! Most recently, he was commissioned by the Los
Angeles Annenberg Project and the Mark Taper Foundation, to paint an
inspirational canvas on the subject of reading! It became a poster and
was given to students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Pepe
has received many awards for his acting and his artistic talents.
Samples of Pepe's colorful artwork. Above is "Chulo", then "Chula",
and the "Mona Risa..!"
By the time we arrived at this point in our phone conversation, I decided
that I should not keep him much longer as he mentioned that he and Diane
were preparing for a trip to Garden Groves for a week or so. I asked
Pepe about his ancestral roots. He said a relative by the name of Esteban
Salinas had done a study on their family tree and he would do his best
to get a copy to send me so we can share it with his many fans in this
article, or a later addendum. He also said he hoped to find some early
family pictures to also share in this article. By the time we ended
our conversation, we were laughing, talking, and thinking on the same
level and we were both thoroughly enjoying our “platica.” I could tell
that neither of us wanted to end the great “chat,” but he had other
commitments on his valuable time and I had lunch to eat, although my
sandwich was by now folded up at the corners and my soup was quite cold….!
Gloria, by now, had also moved on to other important chores of her own.
No matter…. It was a wonderful way to spend a once-in-a-lifetime hour
with a wonderful primo who is Pepe Serna. Since that first conversation,
we have continued to communicate. I only hope that in this article,
you can see what a powerful actor Pepe is, and what a gracious and down-to-earth
human being he also is., and that is why he is an Outstanding Serna
of the World..!!! (To contact Pepe, visit any of his many websites and
go to the “contact” link.) This is an exclusive interview with Pepe
Serna by Louis F. Serna for the “Sernas of the World Blog.”
The Sernas of the Ukraine
Ivan and Maria and son Oleksandr and Oksana
Oleksandr, Maria, Oksana, and Ivan Serna
Outstanding Sernas of the Ukraine..!
Chernivtsi Region in Red
The Sernas live in Mamajivtsi, a village in Chernivtsi
AN OUTSTANDING SERNA FAMILY - THE SERNAS OF THE UKRAINE
The Sernas of the Ukraine, another Outstanding Serna Family of the World..!
During the many years that I have produced “The Sernas of New Mexico
NEWSLETTER,” and now “The Sernas of the World” Blog, I have had the
pleasure of meeting so many wonderful Sernas from wonderful places in
the world! The pleasure has certainly been mine..! ALL of them have
been “outstanding.” Once again, it is my pleasure to introduce you to
a beautiful family in one of the most beautiful places in the world..!
The Sernas of the Ukraine..! Where is the Ukraine, you ask? The Ukraine
is just above the Black Sea, bordered on the east by Russia and on the
west by European countries like Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary,
Romania and Moldavia. It has a long, exciting, and durable history..!
Always threatened by one country or another, but always one of the leading
countries in Industry and Government. By now, you must be asking yourself,
“How did Sernas come to be in the Ukraine?” A good question since most
Sernas around the world expect to find Sernas in Spanish-speaking countries
like Spain, South America, Mexico, the U.S., and elsewhere. So how did
Sernas come to be in this area, prone to the Slavic and Russian languages?
As some of you recall, who know me from my books and lectures on the
Sernas of the World, I wrote many years ago, that there was Serna influences
in the region of Moldavia, Ukraine, and Russia, in the regions bordering
the north shores of the Black Sea. There are even people, villages,
and rivers named “Serna” there. So how did they get there? I contend
that they were transported there by the early Masters of the Sea, the
Phoenicians! About 500 BC, the Phoenicians were sailing from their ports
in the Middle East, to far off places like today’s British Isles and
today’s Spanish coasts in search of tin ore which was being mined in
those places in abundance by then Celts.., early ancestors of some of
the Spanish. The Phoenicians were also sailing far into the Black Sea,
in search of the same metal which was being mined in that region as
well. The Phoenicians used the metal to forge weapons and other trade
wares. It made sense to me, and history seems to back up my theory by
recent DNA testing that has been done in those same regions, which indicate
that similar blood lines appear in those areas and those areas only..!
Since we know that the very name Serna is a Celtic name dating back
to the time that the Celts were in the British Isles, and then in Spain,
and then across Europe, it is a foregone conclusion that Celtic Sernas,
as miners or workers, or seamen, were transported to those locations
courtesy of the seafaring Phoenicians! There is much more to my contention,
all in my book, “The Sernas of the World, a Family History.” Could Ivan’s
ancestors be from those origins? So who are the Sernas of the Ukraine?
It is my great pleasure to introduce to you, Ivan, Maria, their son,
Oleksandr (Sasha), and the beautiful Oxana Serna..! (also spelled Oksana).
Sometime in 2005, Oxana was working at the Philmont Scout Ranch, just
outside my hometown of Cimarron, New Mexico. She was there on a temporary
work visa. Many youngsters from Cimarron work at Philmont in summer
jobs. At the Ranch cafeteria, one of those kids noticed a young girl
go by the food line with a nametage that read "Serna." He asked the
young girl if she was related to the Sernas of Cimarron? The young girl
replied, "You mean there are Sernas here???" From that chance meeting,
Oksana was able to meet my monther Vangie Serna and my brothers in Cimarron.
She had never met Sernas outside of her village of Mamajivtsi in the
Ukraine..! In fact, they are the only Serna family in her village that
she knew of. That chance meeting at the Philmont Scout Ranch started
for me, a wonderful communication with Oxana who at the time was a young
school girl, living with her parents when she wasn’t traveling to various
places related with her schoolwork. Oleksander was living in Canada
at the time, enjoying a successful career in music. Ivan, followed in
the carpentry craft of his father and Grand-father and also in the faith
of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. He is and has been a Minister for
many years. There is much more to this beautiful family, which I will
share with you in a recent interview I did with Ivan, through Oxana.
No longer the school girl, she recently graduated and will probably
move on to greater adventures. For the purpose of this article, I sent
a series of questions to Ivan, hoping that he would share his response
with me. I was very pleased when Oxana responded, as she is the “English”
speaker in the family. Their responses were so poignant, that I decided
to share them unedited, so the Sernas around the world who read my Blog,
can know more about the Sernas of the Ukraine! Here are my questions
and Ivan’s response; Louis: How long has your Serna family been in the
Ukraine? Ivan: My parents were from Chernivtsi. They came from a region
called Bukovina, from a village called Beregomet. I don’t know much
about my grand parents or great grand parents, only that my Serna ancestors
have lived in the Ukraine for some 200 years. Louis: Where were your
father and grandfather born? Ivan: They were born in Beregomet. Louis:
Did your ancestors migrate to the Ukraine from somewhere else? Ivan:
Since my surname is not Ukranian, I have sometimes thought that they
migrated from somewhere as my ancestors were the only Sernas here. I
know there are Sernas in Spain, Portugal, and Latin America but I don’t
know of any connection to them. Louis: What was your father’s occupation?
Your grand-father’s occupation? Ivan: My father was a Carpenter. He
lived during the “hard” time of our country. Most people couldn’t study
at college or university. Very few could study in the big cities. Because
of that situation, people, especially men, tried to master some practical
occupation where they could use their hands. My grand-father was also
a Carpenter. He taught my father the profession. It was rather difficult
to survive at the time. People had to struggle. I’m not sure if he attended
school. Many children didn’t have clothes for school so they didn’t
attend. They didn’t have such childhood as we do, they had to work from
their early childhood. They helped the parents with the garden and with
the cattle. Each family had a cow or two, hens, geese, dogs, pigs, etc.
At that time there weren’t as much markets as now, to provide themselves
with food. They had to plant food, then gather it and then cook it.
I went to school in the town of Luzhany which was situated 10 km from
Beregomet. I attended school for eleven years, nine of them as a full-time
student and two years on a part-time study classes in the evening. I
had to work to help my family. My grandfather moved to my grandmother’s
place. (By coincidence, my father and grandfather were also Master Carpenters..!
Lou Serna) Louis: I know you are a man of God. When and where did you
decide to become a Minister? Ivan: My parents belonged to Seventh Day
Adventist Church. During the Soviet time it was very difficult and dangerous
to attend church. The ideology of the Soviet regime was that there was
no God. They said the Party gave people everythings! Christians were
prosecuted. A lot of them were at prison because of their commitments.
It was forbidden to have Christian literature, especially Bible, so
people had to hide it. It was much more difficult for Adventists as
according to our commitments, we keep the Sabbath Day (according to
the 4th Commandment), we don’t work during this day, but there wasn’t
democracy and everybody had to work 6 days a week including Saturday.
If one doesn’t work, he is fired and nobody else will hire him. Children
were forced to attend school on Saturday. There were even cases when
children were taken away from their parents because they “didn’t allow
their children to go to school that day.” I became a member of the SDA
church when I was 16. I was doing building work at that time. I married
my wife, Maria, when I was 22. Our first child, Oleksandr, (we call
him Sasha), was born he next year and then Oxana was born the next year.
I became a Minister in my 30’s. The Church proposed that I become a
Pastor, and I hesitated to take the responsibility. I prayed with my
wife and we decided that if God wants me to become a Pastor, I will
be. At first, I worked as a Pastor in our local church and then I was
elected to work as a Youth Director at the Bukovinska Conference. I
was responsible for the youth ministry in the territory of 3 regions.
I really liked it because I was a very active and energetic person and
I liked working with the youth. Four years later, I was elected as the
Youth Director for the entire Ukrainian region so I was responsible
for the youth ministry of the whole territory of Ukraine. The main office
was in Kiev, our capital. I had to move there and leave my family in
our home. My son, Oleksander was already in college and Oxana was attending
school and music school. I did not move my family to Kiev because I
had to do a lot of traveling. I went home to see them twice a month.
I worked there for 4 years and then I was invited to work at Vinnitsa
City as an Administrator in the position of Secretary at Podolska Conference.
I worked there almost 10 years. My wife Maria and I live here now. In
May of 2007, there will be elections and I don’t know if I will stay
here or be invited somewhere else. We hope we can return to the Chernivtsi
region, back to our lovable home. We pray on it but we will accept God’s
will. Louis: Did you serve in the military? Ivan: Yes, I served one
year from 1973 to 1974 in Mukachevo. It is situated in the Karpathian
mountains on the border with Hungary. Louis: What was it like for your
family during World War II? Ivan: My parents were lucky. They didn’t
feel much of WWII. At that time the west part of Ukraine was under European
countries like Poland, Hungary, Czech, and Romainia. Chernivtsi, (Bukovina),
was under Romainia. But it was terribly difficult for people who lived
in South, North, and East. They were occupied by the Soviet Army. Russians
wanted to destroy our Ukranian culture, especially our language. All
educated and smart people were taken to Syberia or put into prisons.
The food was taken away… the West part of Ukraine was occupied by Soviet
Union in 1945, the other parts earlier in 1918 During WWII Soviet Union
wanted to destroy our culture and everything. The policy was to make
all people equal, the middle class, to destroy religion, to control
all spheres of people’s life, no democracy, people couldn’t go to another
country. They were told that the best place in the world was the Soviet
Union. They said that the other countries were beneath us, especially
the USA. It was a rather difficult time because the government tried
to kill a person personally, they had to follow totalitarian ideology.
People were told where to study or live. Adventists didn’t have any
opportunity to study at college or university, first because they were
not members of the Socialist Party and second because they didn’t attend
classes on Saturday. People laughed at Christians. It was very hard
to get Christian literature. Almost all literature was reprinted by
people. My wife Maria used to do that. She printed a lot of books from
the originals. She had to do it in the basement of her house because
if the government noticed, she would be arrested. A lot of people were
arrested at that time…. Louis: Do you travel around Europe on business?
On vacation? Ivan: Yes I travel a lot in the territory of Ukraine. I
go to Europe not too often. I go to Russia, Germany, Hungary, Czech,
and Poland with my work. I took the family to Russia and to Italy but
we were not able to travel a lot because of finances. It’s very expensive,
especially for the Minister. Louis: Are you retired from work now? Do
you plan to retire soon? Ivan: Yes, I am tired of work but I like it
and I enjoy it. I am quite devoted to my work and I am a spiritual person
so I try to do my best in everything, especially my job. I’ll retire
in 7 years, but you know, frankly speaking, I think I’ll work until
the end. I hope Maria and I can live in our home in Mamajivtsi this
summer. The present term of my job ends this Spring in May. We’ll see
what happens then. Louis: What does the future hold for the Ukraine?
Ivan: I love the Ukraine. It is a young country that has a rich history.
It’s history began in the 11th century during the ruling of the Kievan
Rus. At that time it was the second most powerful country in Europe
after Visanty (modern Turkey). It had reached culture and a stable economy.
At that time, countries like Germany, France, and others had tribes
at their territories and weren’t developed. I’m not sure how long it
existed, but some period. It had a very good geographical position as
the Ukraine was situated at the centre of Europe. A lot of trade crossed
the Ukraine. It had very good soil, (the black one), good climate and
nature. That is why other nations and tribes tried to occupy Kievan
Rus and after some period of time it was destroyed. From that start
came the Ukranians, the Russians, and the Belarussians. Then many countries
like Vizanty, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Czek, and Russia occupied
us. We released from them but then another occupied us… We have a cruel
history. Modern Ukraine is a young country. This year in August will
be 16 years old. Nowadays we have democracy in our country but still
sometimes we experience the influence of the Soviet Union. After the
destruction of the Soviet Union in 1991, it was very difficult for Ukraine
because Russia took almost all money and resources from us and other
countries too. I remember at that time a lot of people were depressed
because they had a lot of money at banks and after the destruction,
the ruble lost it’s value so people lost big sums. There was high inflation.
The government was very corrupted. Now the situation is much better,
the cities and towns are renewed and they look pretty modern. There
are lots of goods in supermarkets. You can live very good if you have
money. You can live even better than in the USA, because the food and
clothes are more natural. The biggest problem is still money. The government
doesn’t provide enough work places and because of that, a lot of people
work in other countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, the USA, Canada,
Germany, etc. Nevertheless, our culture and history is very rich and
people are hard-working. Ukrainian nation is famous for it’s food, songs,
women, and language. Our language is melodic, and in third place behind
Italian and French in it’s pleasant spoken language. I’m sure you’ve
heard of the Orange Revolution which took place in the Ukraine 2 years
ago? It was a time for Ukrainians to show the world that we are a nation
with our own language. We love our country and we want everyone to come
here and enjoy our nature. We have everything. Mountains, flat areas,
two seas, a lot of rivers, and our nature is fantastic..! Louis: What
do you want for the future of Ukraine and Europe? Ivan: I want people
of Ukraine and Europe to live in peace and love. I want people to know
about Jesus Christ and his love for us. I want everyone to think about
eternal values and to prepare for the second coming of Christ! Louis:
Would you like Sernas and other people to contact you? Ivan: Yes..!
I appreciate the work you do and I thank you for it. I would like Sernas
from other countries to write to me and my children. Here are our emails.
Ivan and Maria Serna [email protected] Oleksander and Rita Serna [email protected]
Oxana Serna [email protected] Oxana Serna [email protected]
There is much more to this wonderful family and especially Oxana who
is full of energy and has traveled throughout Europe and the United
States with her school studies. It has been my pleasure to present this
beautiful “Outstanding” family to you and I hope you can find the time
to send them an email and let them know that we are all one big family
after all…! Lou Serna [email protected]
Dr. Hilda Serna - Alternative Body Health Practitioner
Preface: I first became aware of Dr. Serna, while reviewing the University
of New Mexico Fall Semester Lecture schedule for September 2005. She
was scheduled to read from her latest book, "Angel's War," a biographical
fiction based on the life of Juan Guerra, a District Attorney in Texas.
I contacted her by email to learn more about her. We exchanged several
communications and I was left with a very good impression of her and
her work. I consider her, another "Outstanding Serna of the World..!"
Dr. Hilda Serna, Allopathic Doctor
Dr. Hilda Serna - Another Outstanding Serna of the World
Dr. Serna has treated patients as a western medical physician for twenty
years. Her experiences with her many patients, their afflictions, their
treatment, and their eventual outcome, sometimes good and sometimes
sad, led her to look at the world of medicine and the treatment of many
illnesses, with a new vision of what really helps a patient., and what
doesn’t. Her open-mindedness led her to seek other alternatives that
in her experience, led to complete recovery for some and greatly improved
conditions for others. That’s when Dr. Serna decided that she would
seek the advice and instruction from others who were providing profound,
effective treatment to their patients. That’s when she decided that
she would dedicate herself to Alternative Body Health. What is Alternative
Body Health? It is treatment for those who want to return to optimum
well being by first of all, recognizing that they have to take a really
good and honest look at how they are living their lives. What they are
consuming, how they are exercising, how they approach life from a mental
and even spiritual point of view. It is for those who are ready to take
control of their lives as best they can in order that their bodies are
as healthy as they can be, thus assuring a better and longer life experience.
To that end, Dr. Serna offers “4D Light and Energy” therapies. Who is
this for? Anyone battling depression, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol,
gastritis, cancer, insomnia, addiction, and other afflictions that traditional
medicine has not helped. 4D therapies are non-invasive, gentle, and
do not require the traditional use of drugs. In 4D anatomy, the liver
is the most important organ of the body. For this reason, she administers,
as part of the treatment, a 7-day herbal bitter tea to detoxify the
liver So how and why does a traditional medical doctor turn to alternative
medicine? According to Dr. Serna, “she never looked for it; it found
her!” She became aware of it, first hand, when she experienced an illness
that would not be cured by even two of the leading medical specialists
in that field. Her condition, a disease of the blood, worsened daily.
On the advice of a trusted friend who told her, “Let me take you to
a doctor who WILL cure you,” she was soon off to see this doctor. She
was surprised to see that when they arrived at the doctor’s address,
he was a psychologist..! Reluctantly, she submitted to his treatment
which started by him telling her to remove any metal objects from her
body and not to cross her arms or legs during treatment, as that would
interfere with her flow of energy… From there, a treatment started that
within a few short weeks, had her recovering until she was cured…! Dr.
Serna was so impressed with her treatment that when the doctor offered
a seminar for teaching this alternative medicine, she immediately signed
up and became her teacher’s apprentice for the next three years. She
finished the Master’s course, started applying the therapies that had
cured her and many others, and has never looked back. Who is Dr. Serna?
She’s a fourth generation Texas native of obvious Spanish origins. She
lived mostly in Mexico, returning to Texas some years ago. Aside from
being a doctor, she is a consummate writer. She published two novels
in English and a prose and poetry book in Spanish. The Eagle’s Destiny,
“Quien Toca?”, REALIDADES Y CONTEXTOS, and Angel’s War. Recently, she
produced a narrative short film entitled, America’s Children. The film
won 5 awards at the 13th Annual CineSol Film Festival 2006, which were;
First Runner Up, Best Editor, Best Cinematographer, Best Sound and Audience
Award. She is also engaged with art, culture, and literature. Her hobbies
are; kayaking, cooking, reading, and traveling to the jungles of Mexico
as a clinician and as a friend, to engage with indigenous communities.
Much of this article is from her website; http://alternativebodyhealth.com/default.aspx
I highly recommend that you visit her website and get in touch with
her to learn more about her and her life saving and life altering treatments.
Lou Serna
Mi Rancho en La Higuera, Mexico by Dean Whinery
Preface: Dean Whinery is a long-time friend and supporter of my "Sernas
of New Mexico NEWSLETTER." Over the years, he has sent me many letters,
telling me about the Serna family he married into, in his beloved little
village of La Higuera, Mexico. I finally convinced him to prepare an
article for us, describing his involvement with the many Serna families
that inhabit that region of Mexico. His article is a wonderful glimpse
into this tiny community and the people who are Dean's friends and now
relatives... I hope you enjoy his thoughts and his love of this little
village as I have. Lou Serna
Mi Rancho en La Higuera
Mi Rancho: “La Higuera” by Dean Whinery La Higuera is just a spot, not
even on the map of the state of Zacatecas, Mexico. The name itself means
“fig tree”., and there are two of them in town…, one in the Churchyard
and one in one of the resident’s garden. I don’t know the significance
of the name. I first heard of it and the nearby ranchos in eastern Huanusco
some 30 years ago when Francisco Serna and his family moved next door
to me in Orange County, California where I live. I’m Dean Whinery, a
journalist living in California. Through my limited Spanish, (born in
East L.A….), we were soon good friends, with his kids spending time
at my house. I was often invited for meals at their table and to their
family parties. About 20 years ago, Francisco’s brother-in-law, Raudel
Ramirez, invited me to spend Christmas with his family in La Higuera..,
a wonderful gesture of true friendship..! I spent a couple of days visiting
with Francisco’s cousins, Panchita, Carlos, and Juan Serna in Guadalajara
and then took the three hour bus ride to the rancho. I immediately fell
in love with La Higuera and determined to live there some day. Soon,
I was invited to the wedding of another Serna, who I didn’t know, and
on Sunday after la Misa at La Capilla de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe,
I was introduced to dozens of other Sernas and their relatives, including
a very old Roque Serna, one of the first settlers of the last century!
I spent part of Christmas Eve with Raudel, his wife, Maria Serna, and
their children. The next day, after strolling through the little village
and ended up at the home of Alfredo Serna and his extended family. I
learned that there were some 500 villagers, who were presently “al norte”…
(“al norte” means they are somewhere in the U.S. working), and that
nearly all of Alfredo’s family now resided in California. La Higuera
has a population of about 283 citizens, (per the 2005 Census), and is
located midway between the city of Jalpa in Zacatecas, and Calvillo
in the state of Aguascalientes. It rests beside the Rio Calvillo that
flows through el Valle de Juejucar, at an elevation of almost a mile
above sea level. It is surrounded by Ejido Arroyo Soto which is part
of the old Hacienda de la Luz. The area is supported by agriculture
in the form of corn and guayabas, and cattle ranching. It is said that
the legions of Sernas in the valley are all descended from two brothers
who came to the area 200 years ago and worked for the prominent de Leon
family who owned La Luz and three adjoining haciendas. Roque and his
brother, Menardo, came from La Luz and were grandsons of those first
two Sernas. Alfredo and his brother Delfino were also from there. My
late father-in-law, Raul Serna, was born in Arroyo Soto and his family
moved to La Higuera when he was an infant. Arroyo Soto is situated in
the gulch of the same name that marks the border between Zacatecas and
Aguascalientes. It is now a ghost town as the Sernas moved to La Higuera
and the Sotos moved to La Palma. La Higuera has given birth to four
Presidentes Municipales of Huanusco., something to be proud of in that
little village..! They are Anselmo Vazquez who served from 1965 to 1967
and his son, Humberto, (1974-1976). Both men were teachers. A nephew
of theirs, Hugo Vazquez, who was an Engineer, served from 1992 to 1995
and the current Presidente, Humberto Vazquez, is their grandson and
an Economist. Needless to say, the Vazquez family is intermarried with
the Serna family. I met my wife, Elida Serna de Vazquez about 13 years
ago. She has many relatives in La Luz, including the now retired Registro
Municipal y Jues de Huanusco, her great uncle; Don Jose Camino Serna
who shares a stately casa with his brother, across the street from the
Hacienda residence itself. Other relatives are in La Higuera and in
the surrounding ranchos, and in California and Oklahoma. Still others
from La Higuera live in Oregon, Washington, Michigan, and Illinois.
The Capilla (chapel) at La Higuera is built on land donated by my wife’s
uncle, Don Juventino Serna and is owned in common by the villagers.
It is served by the Priest from San Jose de la Palma which is about
2 kilometers away, under the vicariate which includes about 20 remote
village Capillas. Don Juventino served several years as Comisario or
town Sheriff, a position appointed by the Huanusco Presidente Municipal.
Several other Sernas have been Comisarios of the village through the
years. Other important community posts are the Maintenance Committee
of the local Capilla, the Council for the Ejido, the Waterworks Committee,
and the group that oversees the Annual Fiesta and the Jaripero held
each January. These celebrations tend to overlap. A couple of paved
streets and several cobblestone calles run through the village of La
Higuera. They pass la Escuela de Mariano Matamoros, where el professor
Alejandro Carrillo teaches all six grades to some two dozen Sernas and
a few cousins. There is a library, a kindergarten, and a telesecundaria.
Sewer lines and a new water system beneath the streets, have replaced
sometimes “iffy” wells. There are a handful of small stores which are
owned by the Serna, Vazquez, Camino, and the Hernandez families. For
years I have been asked when I’ll come back to La Higuera to stay. They
tell me, “eres familia aqui,” which to me is a huge compliment. It won’t
be long now, as I have already acquired a lot on a small hill at the
edge of town. A longtime friend, Armando Camino, whose wife Magdalena
Serna is a nurse at the clinic at La Palma, is overseeing the construction
of my new home. I could write a book about the area, the Sernas, and
my experiences with these wonderful people. In fact, with the help of
a teacher who lives in La Luz, that book is in the works! This teacher
is a grandson of the old hacienda’s carpenter and lives in a portion
of the old residence…, and yes.., his grandmother is also a Serna. What’s
not to like about La Higuera? Nothing.! Despite being on a Federal Highway,
it is tranquil with a capital “T”..! The people., the familias; Serna,
Vazquez, Esqueda, Ramirez, Camino, and the others are like the weather,
very nice. If one gets itchy feet, it is only a few miles by bus or
“combi” to La Jalpa, Calvilo, and to other ranchos nearby, including
La Presa de los Sernas. “La Presa” is a small pond, dam, or reservoir
and the name probably derives from the many Sernas who live there. There
are Sernas everywhere in that vicinity..! With regard to La Presa de
los Sernas, I have a neighbor in California by the name of Azucena “Suzi”
Serna y Serna de Serna. She married the son of yet another Serna from
La Higuera; Jose Manuel Serna y Esqueda… not long after, they discovered
that they were “fourth cousins”… She is without doubt, a Serna through
and through..! The Primary school there is named for Daniel Serna. Not
far from La Higuera, near central Zacatecas, lives Padre Antonio “Tonio”
Serna. He has two brothers and a sister at Guadalajara, and they are
of course, friends of mine and a joy to know..! Also in Guadalajara
is the Chiu-Serna family, who are in clothing manufacturing. They make
the uniforms for the famous “Las Chivas” soccer team of great prominence
in Mexico. They are also half Chinese and half “Sernas!” Most of the
family is very light complected and display none of their Chinese heritage.,
except for the youngest who is now 20 years of age and could pass unnoticed
on the streets of Beijing. Most of the Sernas in Zacatecas are light,
some with blue or green eyes, and some with red hair, certainly for
their Spanish influence. There is so much to tell about the Sernas of
La Higuera, Zacatecas, Huanusco, Guadalajara, La Presa de los Sernas,
and all the other Sernas of that region. They have all welcomed me into
their homes and into their lives and I can never include all the wonderful
stories and feelings I have for them. I hope my upcoming book will allow
me to tell all I want to share about these wonderful people..!
An Outstanding Serna Professional
David C. Serna, Attorney at Law And An Outstanding Serna of New Mexico
By Louis Serna c. 2007 It has been my pleasure to know David Serna for
quite a few years. I have written articles about him and his achievements,
most recently, in my Jan 2002 Issue of The Sernas of New Mexico NEWSLETTER.
Back then, I wrote about how he takes time from his busy schedule to
respond to articles I write, and always with a friendly manner, that
makes me feel of him as a brother or close cousin..! David’s father,
Edison Coleman Serna, (1923 – 1977), was born in Rincon, New Mexico
to Jose Benavidez Serna and Margarita Coleman – Serna. Edison lived
his life in the Silver City area. He graduated from the Tulane Law School
in 1950 and practiced law for a few years as a Labor Lawyer, defending
the rights of the poor and oppressed Hispanics who worked the local
mines around Silver City. He was elected District Attorney in the 6th
Judicial District and served as District Attorney for over 20 years
until his untimely death in a car accident..! David followed his father’s
example, graduating from the prestigious Georgetown Law School in 1977.
He has been in practice in Albuquerque ever since. It is not enough
to merely say that David “has been in practice” ever since, as he has
been an outstanding Lawyer for over 28 of his 52 years of age..! His
achievements have been many and just to name a few; The Albuquerque
Magazine, in its July 2006 Issue, names him one of the “Top Lawyers
of Albuquerque.” In a random sampling, the Magazine named him one of
the top three lawyers in Albuquerque, and the one “most wanted” to represent
you in a courtroom..! David is the only Lawyer in New Mexico, Board
Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, as a Diplomat and
Trial Advocate in Criminal Law. He is also Board Certified by the New
Mexico Board of Legal Specialization as a Trial Specialist in Criminal
Law. His Certifications, which require rigorous examination, peer reviews,
and even opposing counsel reviews, have been renewed every five years
since 1986. He is the first New Mexico Lawyer to be named as a Founding
Member of the National College for DUI Defense, at the Harvard Law School.
He is the only Lawyer in New Mexico, to be interviewed by the esteemed
Lawyers Weekly USA Magazine, published in Boston, Mass., for It’s Sept.
2001 front page story, “Drunk Driving Attorneys Use Police Videotapes
to Win Cases.” David has been an active National Legal Committee Member
of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws for many
years. He is proud of his involvement since 1955, as a “Defense Mentor”
for younger or less experienced Lawyers under the Trial Lawyers Assoc.
Mentor Program. In 1994, David was appointed by the late Chief Judge
of the Federal Court for the District of New Mexico, Juan Burciaga,
to sit on the Justice Act Panel Committee, which he did until 2001,
when he was re-appointed by the successive Chief Justice. David has
many outstanding accomplishments and qualifications, too numerous to
mention here. Visit his website at: www.sernalaw.com to learn more about
him, and at www.NewMexDWILaw.com to learn more about his successful
Law practice. He is a premier Lawyer and an outstanding Serna who makes
us all proud..! Once again, I am very pleased and proud to call David
my friend and a primo deserving of an “abrazo fuerte” in the manner
that makes us all proud to be a Serna!
Two Outstanding Hunters - Rick and John Serna
Two Outstanding Young Sernas…! John Patrick Stephen Serna and Rick Serna
of the Cimarron Serna Family. John is an outstanding young family man
and an “apprentice” big game hunter! He has many other “titles and accomplishments”
to be proud of, but today let’s look at his Serna family background,
his mentor and uncle, Rick Serna, and their hunting prowess..! John
is the son of Tom Serna, the son of Vincent Serna, one of New Mexico’s
finest craftsmen and big game hunters of the WWII era. Vincent was himself
raised by Liben Serna, his uncle, and legendary bear hunter immortalized
in a book by his name, “Liben Serna, Bearhunter of the Rayado.” From
Liben came the secrets of hunting wolves, bears, deer, lion, and elk
of the mountains of northern New Mexico where he learned his skills
from his brothers. Vincent Serna had nine sons and all of them are seasoned
successful hunters. John always had the desire to learn everything he
could about hunting and was fortunate to have his uncle Rick as his
closest mentor! Rick is a licensed big game hunting guide and hunter
and has been for 15 years and is certainly the master hunter of the
family today. John is learning quickly at the very young age of 32.
John has been careful to learn all the skills and techniques of the
hunt, and from his uncle Rick, who is only 42, has learned the finesse
of hunting; how to stalk, how to think and how to out-smart the wily
beasts of the mountains and meadows of New Mexico. Today, John is the
equal of his other uncles and perhaps in many ways, the young “Jedi”
master of the hunt! Here are some of John’s recent hunts and trophies;
Most recently he was featured in the March-April 2006 Issue of MULEY
CRAZY Magazine, where trophy game animals and their baggers are recognized
by the outstanding hunters of North America. Here is John with a trophy
Mule deer he bagged in 2005 in southwestern New Mexico that appeared
in the Magazine. John also appeared in the 2006 issue of “The Science
of Camouflage Magazine,” producers of “Natural Gear” hunting clothing.
He is pictured as shown here in the Deer section of the magazine. Go
to; http://www.naturalgear.com/. Pictured above is “Uncle” Rick Serna,
posing with the same deer. Rick helped John scout, track, isolate, and
then advised John on taking the shot. His tutoring of John has him almost
ready to apply for his Professional Hunter’s License and Rick is just
the man to show him how it’s done..! Rick Serna, is the family undisputed
master hunter. Just two weeks later, John and Rick again teamed up on
a hunt in the White Sands Missile Range area of southern New Mexico.
This time the game was Oryx..! This is the African game animal imported
some years ago to see if it would acclimate in New Mexico and indeed
it did..! Shown above is John with a trophy Oryx..! On this hunt, both
Rick and John each bagged a beautiful Oryx..! This is the elusive, much
sought after big game animal of New Mexico today..! Again in April of
2005, John was on a hunt of perhaps one of the most elusive game animals
of all..; wild turkey..! And of course, John bagged his in spectacular
fashion…. and it was a big 21 pounder..! In September of 2005, the call
of the wild had John out on two dove hunts where he took the New Mexico
state limit on each hunt..! Did I mention that John is a “dead shot”
when it comes to hunting??? He would prove it again in November of 2005
when he was again on a hunt with his uncle Rick and they both bagged
a great buck each..! John tells me that he loves to hunt with his uncle
Rick because they have done so much hunting together, that they are
hunting “geeks!” That is, they carefully plan every stage of a hunt,
including the area they are going into, the type of camouflage gear
to wear to suit the terrain, scent control to meld into the environment,
the type of firearm to use and the appropriate ammunition, some for
long distance and some for close distance shots, the weather reports
including wind, weather, terrain, maps, GPS, strategy, and even the
moon configuration…. No, not to hunt at night, but to know what the
game animals are going to be doing that night and where they will be
in the hours of first light..! Yes, these are master hunters..! They
have become so synchronized in their thinking that John says they can
plan a stalk, head out in different directions completely out of sight
of each other, and arrive at a planned location at the same time in
spite of trekking difficult terrain, fording streams, and sometimes
snowy conditions! Both Rick and John are experienced hunters and both
can do a “team” big-game guide hunt and are available to take a novice
or experienced hunter on the hunt of his or her life!
New Mexico Supreme Court Justice - Patricio Serna
Another Memorable Serna..! In the November 1997 Issue of the Sernas
of New Mexico NEWSLETTER, I wrote about my very pleasant personal experience
with Patricio. We had arranged to get together on November 12 at his
office in Santa Fe, to just visit and talk about our Serna familia genealogy.
When I got there, his office was of course, the Supreme Court Office
as he was then a Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court. He met me
at the door of his office and immediately embraced me in the typical
Hispano abrazo..! We immediately hit if off and I expressed my delight
at being at such an auspicious place. He said he too, was personally
in awe of his surroundings and felt privileged to be a part of the Court.
I was impressed with Patricio’s easy going manner and his delight in
“showing me around”… it was as if I was visiting a primo at his ranch
and he was showing me his tack room with saddles and favorite tools…
He took me to his personal Chambers and then to the Supreme Courtroom
where he presides. It was impressive..! He was constantly telling me
how fortunate he was to be in the place and position that he was… I
felt he was genuinely modest, but at the same time, I knew he was completely
qualified for his office..! We talked about his origins in the Reserve
area. He was born in 1939 in Cruzville, a tiny settlement in Catron
County in the southwestern part of New Mexico, just a few miles northeast
of Reserve on Highway 12. He recalled how his mother died when he was
only 2 years old and his father raised the family of 8 in a three room
log cabin which they had all helped their father build. His journey
from those meager beginnings, to the highest Judicial seat in the State
is one of determination, very hard work, and that Serna determination
that he is so proud of. Patricio received his Bachelor of Arts from
UNM in 1962 and went on to the University of Denver College of Law in
1970. From there he went to the Harvard University Law School at Cambridge,
Massachusetts in 1971. He was a Special Assistant in the EEO from 1971
to 1975, then worked in the NM Attorney General’s Office as Asst. Attorney
General from 1975 to 1981. In 1996, he was named to the New Mexico Supreme
Court and served as Chief Justice from 2001 to 2002. He is the only
Hispanic Chief Justice before or since. There is much, much more to
Patricio’s achievements. Patricio was the perfect host, gracious and
polite to a fault..! Although we had planned to have lunch at his favorite
lunch spot, time overcame us and we said our farewells. I believe that
he was more impressed with the work I had done on preserving our Serna
family history, than he was with anything else that day. Another testament
to his modesty and his down to earth good nature..! We remain in touch
to this day. Louis Serna
Che Guevara de la Serna
A Memorable Serna
"El Comandante, Che Guevara" (The following is an article by Louis Serna,
which appeared in the February 2002, Issue #40 of the Sernas of New
Mexico Newsletter.) Those who keep track of these things, say that this
is the most famous "picture - poster" in the world….. the image of "Che"
Guevera, the ultimate revolutionary…! Some, especially in the U.S.,
condemn him completely as a Communist, a mercenary, and even "just a
plain cold-blooded killer…!" Others in the world, praise him as the
consummate hero, the model fighter for lost causes, the image of a knight
fighting against all odds for the rights of the oppressed, the poor,
the down-trodden, and the hopeless..! There were many, who supported
him, and thought enough of him to fight and die for him and the things
he stood for… because they saw him as the "last hope" for justice in
the face of oppression…! So who was this "Che" Guevara… whose nickname
"Che" is Italian for "friend"… And why would Louis Serna feature him
in the SNL? And finally, what does this have to do with Serna family
history…..??? I think there are many who start out to do their family's
history, full of excitement and anticipation, and even "hope", that
they will find some famous character is in their "tree"… some even hope
there is nobility, or a political hero or two, that they can say "I'm
related to so and so….!" and they begin their exciting search with great
anticipation. Others find, sometimes early on, that there are some people
and events in their "tree" that they didn't expect, and things that
the family feels are best left alone, and in making that decision, they
immediately begin to slant, edit, and even change their family's history,
and in so doing, they create a false history…. Perhaps a worse sin than
not doing it at all..! So again, why "Che Guevara…?" Let's find out…
To the surprise and amazement of many, Che was a very complicated man…
an educated man with a medical doctorate, and learned in worldly affairs,
to the point that he could have been an outstanding diplomat or successful
businessman…. And yet he chose to live the life of a revolutionary…
fighting for the causes of others in countries like Africa, Cuba, and
south America. He was not a leader who would send others out to do the
dirty work and die for his causes, but one who was in the jungles and
in the fire-fights, leading his men… and suffering more than they suffered…
as he knew they would follow him anywhere and die if need be.. so he
carried the burden of a man responsible for many… and a man who had
to be able to negotiate with heads of state or their diplomats… or fight
mano-a-mano in the jungles… so this was a man who could do it all, in
the business of fighting wars. This is not an attempt to glorify him,
only to present him as the worldly man that he was, and as yet another
member of our great world-wide Serna family… Yes, he was a Serna, and
in fact, he was also part Irish…!!! His name was Ernesto Guevara Lynch
de la Serna..!!! He was born in 1928, to a middle class family in Rosario,
Argentina. His father, Ernesto Guevara de Lynch, was a successful businessman,
with interests in shipbuilding, the tea market, and other ventures.
His mother, Celia de la Serna, was a fiery political observer of world
politics, educated, with very firm Marxist beliefs! She attacked the
U.S. at every opportunity, accusing them of the worst form of imperialism…!
The Guevaras had an extensive home library which included books by Marx,
Engels, and Freud… and the young Che read, no… he devoured those books
and absorbed every word… and he saw the world through the eyes of a
young man born to be "of the world"… disgusted with the crimes of the
very rich and the desperation of the very poor…. It wasn't long before
he set out on a life mission to right those wrongs he saw in his mind
and on the streets and jungles of third-world countries...! No doubt
he was further fueled in his thinking and in his actions, as he experienced
the cruel dictatorship of Juan Peron in his native Argentina… and the
criminal and corrupt government of Fulgensio Batista's Cuba, and perhaps,
even further fueled by the fiery hot blood of his Irish grandmother,
Anna Isabel Lynch, who had been born in County Galway, Ireland… she
left oppression there to go to South America where she met a man named
Guevara, and the rest, as they say, is history..! In his last letter
to his children, Che wrote; "…always remain capable of feeling deeply,
whatever injustice is committed". Perhaps words learned from his grand-mother!
And in spite of all the turmoil in his life, he actually sought a life
in the professional world, even earning a degree as a Doctor..! Coincidentally,
Che suffered terribly from Asthma, as I have for many years. It amazes
me, knowing what humidity does to an asthmatic, that he was able to
function at all in the steamy jungles where he fought so long and hard..!
I can only imagine how much he suffered… Unfortunately his fate was
sealed and he lived and died the life that he was destined for.., and
he died fighting for those causes in his head and in his heart… some
say, “lost causes…!” There is much to tell of his life, too much for
this little newsletter…. He was killed on October 8, 1967, by a Bolivian
army squad… trained by U.S. Special Forces, under the direction of the
CIA… and so ended the life of yet another Serna.. Right or wrong…, good
or bad…, but committed completely to what he believed….. that he was
fighting injustice..!
Mayor of Sacramento, California
Another Memorable Serna - Joe Serna Jr.
Remembering Joe Serna Jr. This month of November is the month for Thanksgiving,
and for me, it is also a time of remembering, as it was on November
7, 1999 that another memorable Serna left us for the great beyond. Joe
Serna was born in Lodi, California in 1939 and died of kidney cancer,
much too soon. I remember Joe Serna from a nice day that I was out in
my shop working on some project, when my wife Gloria called out, “you
have a call from Joe Serna….” I said, “OK tell him I’ll be right there…”
Wondering which Joe Serna it was, I turned everything off and set aside
what I was doing and in a couple of minutes or so, went back in the
house to take the call… When I came in, Gloria was visiting and laughing
on the phone, so I thought it was someone we knew. I said “Hello…?”
and a friendly laughing voice came back to me with “got some good project
going out in your shop huh?” We laughed and from there the conversation
went very friendly, and “Joe” said he was calling about my “Sernas of
New Mexico Newslettter.” He said he had just received a copy and he
went on and on about how much he enjoyed reading it…! He said a cousin
sent him a copy and he couldn’t put it down until he read it all (8
pages). He said he really admired what I was doing for “la Serna familia”
and how I was doing it, so he just had to call me. I thanked him for
his very generous compliments and finally, a little embarrassed, I asked,
“Joe, I’m sorry I can’t place your voice… can you tell me where we’ve
met..?” He responded laughingly, “I’m sorry that we haven’t met Louis,
I’m Joe Serna…., the Mayor of Sacramento, California…” I gulped a couple
of times and quickly apologized for keeping him waiting, what with his
busy schedule and all, and he laughingly put that aside and we went
back to visiting as if he had nothing else to do… It was as if I had
known him since childhood as we talked about everything… THAT… was Joe
Serna…, at that time, one of the busiest Mayors of one of the largest
cities in the United States! I later learned that he was that kind of
person… caring, friendly, concerned, and tough as nails when he had
to be. I told him that my mother would sure like to say hello to him
and he asked me for her phone number. Mom called me back later to say
that she had just had a nice visit with the Mayor of Sacramento..! As
a younger man, Joe had worked shoulder to shoulder with Cesar Chavez,
the great United Farm Workers crusader. His father had been a migrant
worker and Joe was raised in a labor camp, working the fields himself.
He rose in politics from one position to the next until he became Mayor.
President Clinton said of him that he was “a great leader of Sacramento
and a source of inspiration to the Hispanic community and all Americans.”
At the time of Clinton’s re-election, it was rumored that Joe was a
strong contender for the VP office. There were a great many achievements
and honors bestowed on Joe Serna, and his funeral was a grand event,
presided over by Bishop William K. Weigand. For me.., I remember Joe
as just a great guy who took the time to wait for me to come out of
my shop to answer the phone and was one of the friendliest “primos”
I have ever met..! I won’t forget Joe…. To know more about him, visit
Joe Serna Jr. – Wikipedia and Behind the Viewfinder – Joe Jascewski,
Lou Serna
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