Zula Mae Peña

Zula Peña, a long time resident of the South Bay, died peacefully at home on Christmas Eve with her beloved husband of 65 years, Richard, by her side after a long bout with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 87 years old.

Zula Mae Breland was born and raised in Neely, Mississippi, a small rural community in the southern part of the state. Her parents were Arthur and Ida Breland. She spent her early years on the farm in Neely helping her father and two sisters doing various farm chores and going to school. Her mother passed away when she was very young and her father eventually remarried a wonderful woman named Estelle.

On graduating from high school she moved to Mobile, Alabama and went to work for a shipyard in the adjoining suburb of Chickasaw. It was there that she met her future husband, Richard, who was there to put a ship in commission. They married on April 11, 1946 in Norfolk, Virginia.

The couple moved to San Diego, the home port of the ship and Zula became a Navy Wife. During their naval career they lived in Key West, Florida, Oakland, California, Kailua, Hawaii, finally settling in San Diego. She had three children, David, Margaret and Constance, all products of Chula Vista and Sweetwater District Schools.

The family retired from the navy and settled first in Chula Vista. For the past 52 years they have lived in their Sweetwater Manor home in Bonita. On moving to Bonita Zula became very active in the community. She worked on the staff of the Southwestern College library. She is a long time member of the Sweetwater Woman’s Club and other valley organizations. She is one of the original founders and volunteers at the Bonita Museum and helped guide it in its fledgling years.

In addition to her immediate family, Zula is survived by her last surviving sister, Annette Smith of Mississippi, son-in-law Gregg Zak (Margaret) from Sacramento, daughter-in-law, Terri McKenna (David), and son-in-law Frank Johnson (Coni) and grandchildren Travis and Kristin (David & Terri) all from Silver Spring, Maryland.

Arrangements under the direction of Glen Abbey Mortuary, Bonita, CA.