LOS ANGELES — Funeral services were held here this month for Joe M. Sanchez, one of the founders of the Mexican American Grocers Association here. Sanchez died earlier this month at the age of 77.
He was a co-owner of several retail stores, operating under the banners La Quebradita, La Marketa and Civic Center Sales. In 1977 he helped found MAGA, a trade association of independent food store owners. Sanchez was a community activist, promoting social justice for minorities
. He was also the first Mexican American to serve as a member of the Los Angeles Fire Commission. He is survived by his wife, Laura; two brothers and a sister; five children; 24 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.