Sophia Amalia Andrade

Sophia Amalia Andrade was born on Sunday, June 28th 2009 to her parents Jim Andrade and Sandra (Pearson) Andrade. Sophia is a fourth generation Santa Paulan, granddaughter to Jim and Pat Andrade. Her maternal grandparents are William Pearson and Janet and Larry Swingle.

Her greatest joy was learning. Whether it be swimming, swinging, sliding, jumping and running, or reading at a 1st grade level, counting to 100 by 1’s or 10’s, or using counting on to add 16 to 4. Although her time to enjoy playing with children was limited, she loved her cousins and all the fun times they had at family gatherings. During her challenges of treatment she found comfort in her love of everything pink and the unconditional love of her buddy Nemo.

Sophia was diagnosed with stage 4 Neuroblastoma on October 6th, 2011. She went through 21 months of intense treatment under the care of Dr. Tran at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Dr. Bracho at Ventura County Medical Center, before scans revealed her to have No Evidence of Disease (NED.) On September 12th 2013 Sophia relapsed and the disease had returned. After another valiant battle Sophia received her angel wings on Sunday, January 12th, 2014.

She is preceded in death by her great grandparents George and Myrtle (Berry) Pearson, great-grandparents Orville and Lillie (Meadows) Ford and her grandfather William L. Pearson. She is survived by her parents and grandparents, great-grandparents Lloyd and Molly Fernandez and Sarah Andrade, Aunts and Uncles Cathy and Guillermo Ortiz, Bill and Amanda Pearson, Denise and Jeff Garland, Steven Andrade, Daniel and Sarah Andrade, her Godparents Paul and Ellen Olivares and her great uncles and aunts Ralph and Cathy Fernandez, Nancy and Andy Ventura and Michael Fernandez and numerous other great aunts, great uncles, cousins of which Sophia would want the following specifically acknowledged, Michelle, Sean, Andrew (A.J.), Krystin, Valerie, Elizabeth, Laura, Julia, Robin, Nico and Ari, and many other friends. Along with the nurses and staff on 4 West and BMT at CHLA and the nurses and staff at Dr. Bracho’s Office who became her family during her two year battle. Her entire family will always feel her absence and never forget her beautiful spirit.

Sophia’s rosary will be Monday, January 20th at 7pm at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Santa Paula preceded by a viewing. Her funeral mass will be at 10am at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, interment to follow at Santa Paula Cemetery. Sophia’s story (Like a Girl) has been featured on the Mission and State website as well as the Los Angeles Dodger’s Think Cure Foundation.

Arrangements under the direction of Skillin Carroll Mortuary, Santa Paula, CA.