Maria Elena Juarez-Rivera

Maria Elena Juarez-Rivera passed away at Sharp Chula Vista Hospital on October 15, 2015. She was born in Mexico to Cecilio and Lydia Juarez on December 15, 1959. Memorial Mass will be held at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church on Friday, October 23, 2015 at 9:00 am. Memorial Gathering will follow at Funeraria Del Angel Humphrey Mortuary on Friday, October 23, 2015 at 11:00 am-3:00 pm.

When Maria Elena Juarez-Rivera walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Maria was and how she impacted those around her. Maria was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Maria wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Maria was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

Maria was born on December 15, 1959 at She was born on her grandfathers ranch in Mexico in Tijuana Baja California, Mexico. She was the daughter of Lydia Zamora, Manuel Ramon Zamara and Cecilio Juarez. Maria was raised in National City, California. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Maria might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Maria was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

Maria was raised with nine siblings. She had Teresa, Silvia, Gabriel, Carmn, Lisa, Josh, Michael, Phillip, Fernando and Joshua. Maria was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Maria was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Maria well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her.

As a young girl, Maria was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Maria was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. Maria took part in tennis club in middle school. In her spare time she liked to go to Kimball Park and visit the monkeys. She also loved to go camping. Maria's memorable achievements included. Maria had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

Maria's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to make her new family happy. She was quite sensitive towards Ralph's needs, showing her constant concern and fondness. Maria was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served her well in helping to nurture her family.

Maria was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Maria, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Juarez-Rivera home. Maria's skill at understanding her children's feelings, her sensitivity to their needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Maria was blessed with She has eight children: four sons, Ralphy, Gabriel, Andrew and Jeremiah and four daughters, Lydia, Veronica, Lizette and Amanda. They were also blessed with nine grandchildren, Mario, Gabriel Jr., Kyarah, Ethan, Gaby, Luis, Frankie, Elisa, and Jayden.

Because Maria loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were dancing and spending time with her family. Maria had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, Maria's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

Maria derived much satisfaction from participating in and watching sports. Her charisma, supportive nature and ability to improvise when called upon to do so all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. Maria was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Maria enjoyed watching football, especially when her sons would play.

Maria was a woman who was dedicated and devoted to her faith. She was a member Maria was a member at St. Rose of Lima. She was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and she used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for her beliefs.

Maria's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Maria took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favorite vacations included Las Vegas.

Maria Juarez-Rivera passed away on October 15, 2015 at Sharps Hospital in Chula Vista, CA.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Maria. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Maria Juarez-Rivera for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Maria was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.