Ana Tejada

Ana Julia was always hard working and resourceful. She owned several successful small businesses in El Salvador including a beauty salon and a fruit popsicle business out of her home. She made pretty handmade dresses for her daughters. When her son wanted to learn to box, she made boxing gloves for him and his friends so they could practice.

When civil war broke out in El Salvador, she left with her daughters Vangie and Ninet to the United States. Her son Alan died in the conflict, a loss that affected her for the rest of her life.

She joined other family members in the Los Angeles, California area. She worked sewing clothing and lived in an apartment behind her niece Wendy’s home with her cat Minto. Wendy has a talent for keeping plants and Ana Julia enjoyed eating fresh fruit from Wendy’s garden. She loved spending time with her five grandchildren Jennifer, Phillip, Jason, Scarlet and Suzette.

Later in life she moved to Orlando, Florida to join her daughter Vangie. She loved babies and was blessed with five great-grandchildren Jeremy, Hayden, Hayley, Virgil and Astrid who all live in the Central Florida area. She would hold them, read them stories, play at the playground and giggle with them in whatever mischief they found.

She never learned to drive and instead loved to walk. She always took the time to truly appreciate the beauty of trees and flowers around her. She loved gardening and had quite a green thumb with fruit trees. She incorporated floral prints and natural colors into her decor and wardrobe and filled her home with family photos.

She loved to do crafts like crocheting and knitting, gifting numerous scarves to friends and loved ones as well as donating infant hats to the local hospitals.

Ana Julia was an excellent cook. Her turkey patties, pupusas, sweet plantains, and black beans are the best I have ever had and they were still overshadowed by the incredible chayote rellenos she brought to almost every family gathering. She preferred eating healthy food but I never saw her turn down a dessert if it included chocolate.

She was a devout Christian dedicating much of her time to the church. Her belief in Christ brought her comfort during the difficult times of her life and she loved to listen to and sing hymns.

Ana Julia is survived by her daughters Vangie Steward and Ninet Hernandez Scott, her grandchildren Jennifer Shinohara, Phillip Hernandez, Jason Hernandez, Scarlet Steward and Suzette Steward, and great-grandchildren Jeremy Holton, Hayden Lucca, Hayley Lucca, Virgil Mair and Astrid Mair. She is preceded in death by her brother Simeon Tejada, sisters Carmen Tejada, Delmira Barraza, and Maria Tejada, son Alan Romero and her parents.