Remembering Lucy Casado of Lucy's El Adobe: 'A pistol and a beloved mamacita'

The late Lucy Casado, Dan Guerrero, and Delores Huerta at Dan's 70th birthday party at Lucy's El Adobe. Casado died Tuesday at the age of 91.

Dan Guerrero remembers Lucy Casado, who died Tuesday at 91, as a politically active "pistol" but also a welcoming, mothering "mamacita" who provided a welcoming space at Lucy's El Adobe Cafe.

Lucy Casado, proprietor of the iconic Lucy's El Adobe Cafe across from Paramount Studios, died Tuesday at the age of 91. Dan Guerrero, son of singer Lalo Guerrero, remembers her activism and her warmth.

"She was a pistol, you know, in a word, she was a pistol, a beautiful, beautiful lady. She was a major Chicano activist starting back in the 60s. I used to go to Lucy's all the time with my dad (pioneering mariachi artist) Lalo Guerrero, and they went way back. She was a nice mamacita, and they admired her for her activism. She was a smart cookie."

Dan also passed along word - reproduced verbatim below - from Linda Ronstadt, who hung out at Lucy's at met Jerry Brown there:

EL ADOBE WAS HOME BASE. WHEN WE’D RETURN TO LA AFTER A TOUR, WE’D GO TO LUCY’S ON OUR WAY HOME. LUCY OR PATTY WERE ALWAYS THERE TO WELCOME US HOME WITH A WARM SMILE AND GREAT FOOD.

So, on Cinco de Mayo, let's raise a glass - maybe one of Lucy's famous killer margaritas - to toast Lucy Casado.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story mistakenly said Ronstadt and Brown were married. We regret the error, but not the sentiment.