Maria Consuelo "Chelo" Munoz

Maria was born in Michoacan, Mexico in a state of indigence as the offspring of a Belgian emigrant. She traveled by train and by foot to the United States at the age of twelve. She attended Sweetwater High School and married Juan Manuel Muñoz at the young age of sixteen. Thereafter came Cynthia, the eldest of four siblings, the other three fourteen years later. Chelo started working as a sales associate at Groff Imports, but subsequently learned the art of cake decorating and worked for Safeway, Vons, and Albertson’s until retirement at the age of sixty five. During her free time she was a wonderful homemaker, loved to spend time gardening, cooking, eating out with her family, card games at the dinner table, renovating, doing home improvements, and was an ardent believer of Christianity. Soon after retirement she was struck with stage four intestinal cancer, survived a very high risk surgery, and battled the cancer with her family for eleven months. She passed away, age 67, at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center at the Intensive Care Unit surrounded by her loved ones and a pastor, Sergio Flores, whom she had a warm regard for. She is survived by her mother Mary Lopez, husband Manuel Muñoz, sister Aida Rodriguez, brothers Ernie and Manuel Lopez, her daughter Cynthia Muñoz Ochoa, her son-in-law Andres Ochoa, her grandchildren Andres Manuel Ochoa and Kayla Ochoa, her oldest son Sergio, and her fraternal twin sons David and Adrian Muñoz. She will be missed and remembered for the love she brought to the family. She is also appreciated for bringing her family to the knowledge of her faith. The family is comforted knowing she is now in God’s embrace.