Rebecca R. Lopez

To Rebecca R Lopez, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Rebecca, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Rebecca really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Rebecca was born on October 28, 1944 at in her parents home in Corona, California. Her parents were Pete & Isabelle. Rebecca was raised in Corona, California. Even as a child, Rebecca had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Rebecca was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Rebecca managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Rebecca was raised with eight siblings. She had 4 brothers Carlos, Ray, Pete, David, and 4 sisters Stella, Louisa, Mary, and Cecelia.

All of Rebecca's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Rebecca experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. She took part in hide and seek, kick the can, and baseball.

Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Rebecca was a class “cut-up.” She didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Rebecca simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Rebecca, grades may not have been the most important thing to her, but she really did enjoy her school experience. Since experience was Rebecca's best teacher. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Rebecca graduated from Corona High School in 1963. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was math.

Rebecca never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Rebecca to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Rebecca delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Rebecca was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Rebecca utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of her best friends were Hope, her sister Mary, and David. Later in life, she became friends with Esther, Hortensia, Irene, Rosie, Daria, Erma, and Peggy. Rebecca loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Rebecca very easy to approach. On February 22, 1964 Rebecca exchanged wedding vows with Pete Lopez at St. Edwards Church of Corona, California. She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Rebecca related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Rebecca was blessed with two children, Danny and Richrd. They were also blessed with five grandchildren, Timmy, Chris, Kenny, Tanner, and Danielle. Rebecca had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Rebecca's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Rebecca had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Rebecca was a real “people person. ” she had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Rebecca liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Rebecca was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Rebecca's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Rebecca as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was as a Teachers Aide. She was employed for 30 years.

Rebecca enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Rebecca liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were bingo, bunco, slot machines, movies, and card games. Rebecca was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Rebecca felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if she wasn’t the best, Rebecca loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Rebecca relished the opportunities where she could make an impact, and she would often push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Rebecca never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Rebecca played softball. Recreational sports included bowling. Rebecca was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were World Series Baseball.

Rebecca had an endless appetite for new and different activities. She was always ready to join in the fun and add her flair and energy to an organization. Because of her personality, her humor, and her ability to get along with everyone, Rebecca's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which she belonged. Throughout her later years, Rebecca was an active member of the Bunco.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Rebecca recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member os St. Edwards and St. Mels. During that time, she was Las Guadalupana.

Living life in the fast lane suited Rebecca just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Las Vegas, Hawaii, and Cancun.

Rebecca was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. Her family was rounded out by her pug Shorty, and her shitsu Princess.

Rebecca believed that you had to experience life, and her life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 2004, Rebecca took it in stride as one more way to have fun. With her boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Rebecca remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, she found new pleasure in bingo, bunco, slot machines, and card games. Even in retirement, Rebecca continued to stay in touch with her old friends and, since she'd never met a stranger, she made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Becky fought a strong battle with Cancer and was winnin complications from an infection caused respiratory failure. She is survived by her husband Pete, son Richard, grandchildren Timmy, Chris, Kenny, Tanner, and Danielle. Her brother David, sisters Stella, Louisa, Mary and many relatives and friends who loved her very much. Services were held at Crestlawn Mortuary. Rebecca was laid to rest in Crestlawn Cemetery in Riverside, California.

Rebecca brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Rebecca R Lopez lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.