Lucia Mendoza Olivera

My mother's name was Lucia Mendoza Olivera, but she went by Lucy. My name is Lucy Maribel Marquez (maiden name Olivera). She was born and raised in Guayaquil Ecuador. Her mother's name was Ana Christina Valencia de Mendoza and her father Manuel Mendoza Alvarez. My mother had 9 siblings total, but only grew up with 7 because two died really young. Two of her sisters live in Chicago, IL, and three sisters and one brother live in Ecuador. My mom came to California on May 18, 1974. She married my father Pablo Javier Olivera on July 20, 1979. My mother only had one child, myself Lucy Maribel Marquez. She was a sample maker for over 30 years, and worked with clothing designers. She also worked as a cosmetologist and loved being one. But most of all, she loved being a Mother, wife, and a Homemaker. She loved playing with me when I was a child, especially since I had no brothers or sisters. We did everything together, from going shopping and getting our nails done, to going to church together and praying together at home. My mom was the person who showed and taught me to have faith in our Lord. As a child, I didn't like going to church, but then again who does. However, seeing my mom have such faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, made me want and made me pray that I too could have the faith she did. I wanted to have that passion she had for going to church and praying. Jesus heard my prayer when I was about thirteen, when I suddenly felt the spirit, need and want to go to church to hear God's word. I have always helped out at my parish since, and I owe it all to my Mom and Jesus.

My mother wasn't just a mom, but she was my best friend. As a mother she sacrificed a lot, but she was always such a giving person. It never mattered to her if didn't have something, so long as her daughter was provided for. Her family was very important to her. Even though her family was far away, when we visited Ecuador she made it count. Always a giving person providing gifts for everyone because she loved to see people smile. Her friends also held a very special place in her heart. She was always there for her family and friends when they needed her. I don't know how many novenas she held for her friends when a loved one had passed, but everyone always asked her to lead their group in the Rosary.

My mother liked being around people, she loved to travel, watch movies, go shopping, read books about health, enjoyed learning new things, She enjoyed being active, liked sewing clothes, enjoyed listening and singing along to music from Ecuador on weekends while she cleaned, she loved to cook, spend time at home in prayer, but most of all spend time with her family. She did it all. She always thought of others before herself, and gave her all to anything she set her mind to. She was a strong, brave, caring, loving, dedicated, and positive woman, mother, wife, sister, friend.

Her last years were spent at home, caring for her family.

She first got sick in October of 2011 for an auto immune disease, which was controlled. It was in January of this year that she found out she had endometrial cancer. The cancer continued to grow even with three sessions of chemo that she under went. It was too aggressive, invading her body and all her organs slowly. She passed away at home on Saturday May 11, 2013 at 4:18pm. She was lucky to be surrounded by all her loved ones including her family who came from Ecuador and Chicago and spent her last week with them. She will be incredibly missed by all of her family and friends, but we know that she now rests in peace and is now the arms of our Lord looking down upon all her loved ones.