Hector Manuel Camarena

Hector Manuel Camarena was a modest man, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in his approach to his life and in his relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of “stick to it” attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Realistic about life, he was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility.

Hector was born on July 21, 1966 at Beverly Hospital in Montebello, California. His parents were Isaias and Venancia Camarena. Hector was raised in City of Rosemead and La Puente, California. He was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.

Growing up in the Camarena household was a bit different than most homes. There were good times to be had, but just as often there was a fair share of challenges as well. However, Hector was able to work through the usual family problems when they appeared, and he was the one person in the family who seemed able to keep the stress at bay. Hector was raised with one sibling. He had one brother, Isaias M. Camarena, Jr. Hector was constantly involved in activities with his brother. Hector and his sibling may have had the typical rivalries while growing up but Hector was always consistently loyal to his family.

As a young child, Hector was never someone who needed to be the center of attention. He wasn’t pushy and never forced his way into games or other activities. Hector developed a variety of interests, though, and the things he enjoyed doing he did well. He was always curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. In his spare time he liked comic books and build up rockets. However, what Hector enjoyed most was simply playing and spending time with his many friends.

While his teachers and even his friends generally thought of Hector as being a serious person, he managed to have a pretty good time in high school as he made that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He graduated from Bassett High School in 1984. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Miss Robins. Hector was a very logical person who enjoyed learning about factual information. Using his exceptional memory, he was able to learn much through observation. Hector always seemed to have a command of the facts and was able to make it seem as though he could easily master any problem that might be presented to him.

Always considered to be a solid friend, Hector was fortunate to have numerous acquaintances and several very close friends during his life. Since he disliked making generalizations about people and preferred to draw his own conclusions based on direct observation, Hector was able to see beneath the surface of relationships and became a true friend to those who knew him. He was committed to his friends and valued the trust he placed in them. It was not uncommon for Hector to go beyond the call of duty for others, and friends frequently sought him out for advice because he had a knack for coming up with practical solutions to any type of dilemma. While growing up, some of his best friends were Sal Orapeza and John Dover. Later in life, he became friends with Tony Vizcarra and Anel and Rosalba Liberto.

On July 14, 2006 Hector exchanged wedding vows with Sherri Leigh McNinch at the Santa Ana Court House of Santa Ana, California. Compassionate and devoted to Sherri, Hector held endearing, traditional values about marriage and family life. He took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it his total commitment. He was a source of strength to Sherri and using his gifts at nurturing one-on-one relationships, he worked hard to make his new family happy.

Hector did not have any children, but Hector's joy in life were his 2 godsons, Lance and Ian Garcia and his nephew Benjamin Ortega.

Hector greatly enjoyed what he did for a living. He was a hard worker who expected the same in return from his co-workers. He was skilled at working effectively in small groups and in one-on-one situations as well as handling solo assignments efficiently. Hector enjoyed dealing with concrete ideas and could penetrate any amount of fuzzy information to reach the essential facts. Always able to attend to the task at hand, Hector was excellent at meeting deadlines. He was an efficient worker, one who paid careful attention to detail, allowing sufficient time to complete one task before moving on to the next. His primary occupation was general warehouse manager. He was employed for 11 years by Lap Co. Hector worked hard to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Hector liked to experience things first-hand as well as learn about them. This trait carried over into his hobbies, where he was very methodical in how he organized his activities and categorized things. Since he enjoyed his private time, Hector always tried to allocate a specific time for working on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were rocket building, music and Disneyland. Hector was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

As a man who always showed great commitment to the things he believed in, it’s little wonder that Hector was so active in his community. Being practical and mentally disciplined, Hector preferred to base his decisions on first-hand experiences. Hector was never afraid to roll up his sleeves and dig right in. Politically, Hector was a Democrat.

Hector was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. He was a member of St. Louis of France Catholic Church. He was a sympathetic man who valued his beliefs and was willing to work tirelessly for them.

Hector enjoyed traveling and taking vacations. Since he was an early starter and had a knack for planning everything, traveling with Hector appeared effortless. He enjoyed researching all of his examined options and applying cost-effective planning techniques. Plus, no matter where he traveled, Hector always had a back up plan at the ready, just in case. Favorite vacations included Morro Bay, California.

Hector was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. Some of Hector’s favorites was Frannie, a Doxie, Minnie Mae, a Chihuahua and Teaka, a chihuahua. They were best friends for 8 years. His family was rounded out by his cat, Lissie.

Hector Manuel Camarena passed away on January 17, 2011 at home in La Puente, California. He is survived by wife Sherri and his loving family. Services were held at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Hacienda Heights, California.

Commitment is a key word that can be used to describe the life of Hector Manuel Camarena. He was committed to living the life of a good man who was both practical and trustworthy. He was committed to the traditional values that he upheld his entire life. He committed himself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from those around him. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved.