Susie Saenz

Susie was born and raised in Santa Paula where she worked as a young girl picking fruits and vegetables with her family. She worked in the orange and lemon packing houses in Santa Paula and as a housekeeper at Community Memorial Hospital until she retired in 1988.

Susie was a devoted daughter and caretaker to her aging parents and to her brother Johnny until his death. She helped care for and raise her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Susie had a positive attitude towards life and was warm and friendly; she loved people and people loved her. Anyone who talked to Susie left with a warm feeling inside (she had that way). Susie shared love with many, especially her family, who were blessed to have her for 90 years sharing many loving memories.

Susie enjoyed going to the Oxnard Family Circle Center where she kept active exercising, arts and craft, music and dancing, and most of all, the staff, her friends and food! She enjoyed gardening and going out to lunch with her family and watching the Dodgers. Susie had a way of making you feel special and loved and had many adoptive relatives, be it neighbors or friends of her daughters and grandchildren. She was Aunt Susie and Gramma Susie to many. Susie was a special lady to the end still trying to give comfort to her many visitors. She leaves us a legacy of living a life of gratitude, sharing, helping others, loving God and life, and going on no matter what life throws you.

Susie passed peacefully at home surrounded by her beloved family and a special hospice nurse, Donna Simmons. It was a beautiful day of rest and she looked blessed good for 90!

She is reunited with her beloved daughter, Mary; brother, Johnny; parents, Jose and Toriva Pacheco; sister, Francis; and nieces, Virginia and Jaunita.

Susie is survived by her daughters, Rachel Gonzales and Gloria Saenz; grandchildren, Lewis Gonzales, Arlene Vega (husband Joaquin), Brenda Pacheco, Tammie Saenz; great-grandchildren, Monica Anaya, Michael Vega, Jesse Vega, Valerie Garcia, Robert Maldonado, Nina Maldonado, Natalie Gonzales, Sabrina Gonzales, James Gonzales, Kaylajanae Saenz; brothers, Tommy, Phillip, Joe and Tony Pacheco; sister, Bea Gomez (husband Lawrence); and many nephews and nieces.

A viewing will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. with a Rosary at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 18 at Skillin Carroll Chapel, 738 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060. Funeral Mass will be at 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 19 at St. Sebastian's Church with burial to follow at Pierce Brothers Santa Paula Cemetery. Arrangements under the direction of Skillin Carroll Mortuary, 738 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula, CA 93060.