Esther Castaneda

Equipped with a clear and calculating focus, she possessed a tough-minded, “take charge” attitude. She had the ability to make even routine situations seem exciting, and she was at ease with the role of playing problem solver. Esther always sought out the scene of where the action was. Sociable, analytical and pleasant, Esther was an individual who enjoyed life’s challenges.

Her parents were Carlota Cuen, Rafael Mendez. Always able to express herself well, Esther possessed strong interpersonal skills. She was optimistic in her outlook on life and was able at all times to be open and direct in her communication. Armed with a great wit, Esther was raised to be accepting of others and to implement a strong personal work ethic.

Blessed with a balanced attitude, Esther was able to relate well with others. Her occasional role as family mediator gave her the opportunity to ease tense situations when they occurred. Esther was raised with four siblings. She had four brothers, Rafael, Pedro, Carlos and Johnny and three sisters, Josephine, Dora and Lupe. Esther had a strong desire to be treated fairly and would readily offer others the same fairness in return.

Esther was attentive to Albert AKA "Chino"'s feelings, and she charmed Albert AKA "Chino" and others with her gift for being able to give freely and generously. A good listener with an engaging personality, Esther was able to bring pleasure and unexpected humor to the relationship.

Very much like a kid herself, Esther identified with the inquisitive and creative side of her children’s personalities. She was able to direct her energy and spontaneity towards helping her children acquire added common sense skills. Esther was blessed with eight children, Ramon, Albert Jr., Martha, Jess, Richard, Renee, Michael and one that was stillborn. They were also blessed with twelve grandchildren, twenty-two great grandchildren one great great grandchild, grandchildren: Steve Jr., Lindy, David, Albert II, Jesus, Christina, Linda, Angela, Michael, Christopher, Jacob and Mariah great grandchildren: Alex, Madison, Jaedin, Cameren, Addisen, Prea, Jesus, Leah, Matthew, Jessie, David, Anthony, Lindzie, Sierra, Alyssa, Gilbert III, Andrew, Alina, Chastity, Savannah and Joeanna and great great grandson Nathan.

Esther was a flexible worker who was able to draw the best from others around her. A persuasive individual who was quick to make necessary decisions, Esther’s strengths included being able to think on her feet. She could be a leader who sought impact for her decisions. Gifted with an incredible ability to read body language, Esther was able to positively manipulate situations and motivate others in order to get a task completed. She was a good negotiator who enjoyed new challenges. Esther could multi-task, and she was endowed with entrepreneurial spirit, allowing her to think beyond standard norms when it came to resolving issues in her work environment. Her primary occupation was property management. She was employed for Bracher Properties.

Esther enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. She had something of an artistic flair in many of the things that she did. She put this creativity toward all of her pastimes. Her favorite pursuits were plants and flowers, spending time with her grandchildren, she took pride and pleasure in cooking. She was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Travel and vacations were experiences that Esther truly enjoyed. She preferred to seek out excitement wherever she went and she was partial to vacations that were casual and laid back with an atmosphere of “live and let live.” She was willing to leave her plans open and flexible, just in case something more interesting came along. Favorite vacations included Reno, Nevada and Lake Tahoe.

Esther was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. One of Esther’s favorites was Chiquita and Chiquito her dogs.

When Esther’s retirement finally came in 1994, she was well prepared. She used logical analysis of her retirement options in order to ensure her retirement would be fulfilling. Still, she was able to easily adapt to possible changes and enjoyed just having fun and being relaxed. In retirement, she found new pleasure in traveling, spending time with grandchildren.

Esther passed away on November 28, 2012 at Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno, California. She showed unbelievable strength in her fight to recover from intestinal surgery. Services were held at Tinkler Funeral Chapel & Crematory. Esther was laid to rest in Fresno Memorial Gardens in Fresno, California, to be reunited with her true love Alberto Castaneda.

Esther was the kind of person who could win others over easily. A concrete communicator, she relied on her senses to increase her involvement and awareness of others. She was always able to provide amusing repartee to her friends and acquaintances, offering a seemingly endless supply of quips, anecdotes, jokes and stories. If Esther had a theme song written about her, it might well have been “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” She enjoyed her life and the experience of living it.