Tomasa Vasquez Arenas

Mom was born June 12, 1921, in Guadalupe, California to Tomas and Francisca Vasquez. Her parents were seasonal farm workers. During the late 1920’s the family moved from the Central Coast to Madera, California, where they lived for a few years. She attended grammar school in Madera and worked in the fields along with her parents.

Around the 1940’s the family moved to Herndon, California, and Tomasa worked for a while doing seasonal farm work. During World War II she went to work as an assembler for Lockheed at the Pinedale facility and trained at one of their facilities in Southern California. Eventually, her mother and father bought some land in Herndon and started a small grocery store selling homemade tortillas. The store’s name was Las Palmas Grocery. The store expanded to be a small, full-service grocery store, and serviced the Herndon community for many years. Herndon has since been incorporated into the City of Fresno. Mom worked 7 days a week, along with her mother and sister, running the store.

Our parents were married on December 12, 1948. They were married about 63 years. Dad passed away 13 years ago.

Around the late 1970’s, Mom decided to retire from the retail grocery business, and she turned over the business to her brother, Emilio and sister-in-law, Minnie. The store has since closed.

Mom started entering her jams, jellies, and baked goods in the Fresno District Fair starting around the 1970’s. This continued until 2019. Over the years she won numerous awards for her creations. The family could probably fill a wall with all her award ribbons. This was her hobby, and all her goodies were prized treasures when she gifted them to family members.

She enjoyed going to the local casinos. In one of those trips in 2017 her daughter in law, Virginia, and her granddaughter, Monica took Mom to the Chukchansi Casino. Mom hadn’t been there in a while and the day she was there the casino was hosting a raffle. Mom’s name was entered in the drawing and as luck would have it her name was selected, and she won a car.

Mom had a strong faith in God. Prior to the pandemic she attended church services whenever her health allowed.

She had been living with her daughter, Pat, and her son-in-law, Paul, for several years and was well cared for. Pat and Paul’s kindness and generosity by opening their home to Mom will never be forgotten.

She is survived by her son Joe, daughter Pat, 11 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren (with another on the way), and one great-great grandchild.

A Visitation will be held from 9:30am to 10:00am at Saint Paul Catholic Newman Center, 1572 E. Barstow, Fresno, CA. The Rosary will start at 10:00am. Eulogies and the Mass will follow the Rosary. The burial will be at St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery, 264 N. Blythe Ave., Fresno, CA 93706. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Poverello House in Fresno, CA.