Esther Diaz

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Esther Diaz, it summarized in every way who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.

Esther was born on February 2, 1929 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She was the daughter of Guillermo and Julia Martinez. Raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.

As a young girl, Esther was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Esther was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Esther was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Esther also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Esther was raised with eight siblings, four sisters and four brothers. She had Julia, Ana, Ide, Guillermina, Luis, Serafin, Juan and Jose. Esther was constantly involved in activities with her family. Esther and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

Growing up, Esther was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. She was content to entertain herself. Esther was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, she was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything she did as a child, Esther was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around her. Esther took part in a number of activities as a child. She took part in jump rope.

Esther enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Esther was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Esther was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. She graduated from Vilamayo High School in 1948. Esther enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Esther. On February 15, 1953 Esther married Luis Manuel Diaz in New York. She was totally committed to Luis and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Esther naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Esther disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

Esther was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Esther was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Esther was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Esther was blessed with two children, Brenda and Luis. They were also blessed with five grandchildren and one great-grandchild, Anthony, Nicholas, Alexandria, Cassie, Janine and Adriana.

If you gave Esther a deadline, she would meet it. At work, Esther was always on task. Without hesitation, Esther could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. Her primary occupation was cafeteria manager. She was employed for many years at Beverly Hills High School. During that time, Esther excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. She was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Esther was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Esther had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. She was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

Esther liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Esther's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Esther preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were different crafts, baking and Latin dancing. Esther was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading about her favorite pastimes.

While thorough and measured in her approach to things, Esther often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. She was like that with sports. Recreational sports included basketball. She also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, she was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite teams whenever she got the opportunity.

Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Esther had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that she was the trip planner. She would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included Puerto Rico, Mexico, Washington DC, Florida, New Orleans and Kansas.

When Esther's retirement finally arrived in 1987, she was well prepared. She had taken the time to learn about her various options and chose her course wisely. Her new life involved relocating to Covina, California. In retirement, she found new pleasure in spending time with her grandchildren and cooking. Even in retirement, Esther continued to stay in touch with her old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered her.

Esther passed away on December 19, 2011 at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Baldwin Park, California. She is survived by her children Brenda and Luis, her grandchildren Anthony, Nicholas, Alexandria, Cassie, Janine and her great-grandchild Adrianna. Services were held at St. Christopher Catholic Church in West Covina, California. Esther was laid to rest in Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Esther was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Esther was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Esther Diaz was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Esther. She will be missed.