Maria Juanita Blake

Maria Juanita Blake, born June 26, 1975 at Queens Hospital in Los Angeles, CA, was the first of two daughters born to single mother, Rosa Lee Denson. Maria was born a quiet spirit that adapted to any surrounding with inquisitive eyes.         As a child, while her mother continued her education, Maria began her education at Wilton Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles, CA and later  transferred to Windsor Hills Science Magnet (near her grandmother’s home) to graduate as a young, gifted student with a bright future. During her free time, she loved reading and rarely would you find her without a book in her hands.  She graduated from Orville Wright Middle School, 2 years at Westchester High  School (both in Westchester, CA) and she finished her final year of high school at Burbank High School, in Burbank, CA, where she graduated with honors in 1994.         While living with her grandmother (Alice Marie Denson) & her Aunt Robin in Windsor Hills, CA, having been baptized at birth, accepted Jesus Christ in her teens,  Maria went to church regularly. She enjoyed celebrating Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving was a close third. Maria loved to cook and she learned most of her  cooking skills from her mother, grandmother, and later her Uncle Charles. Early in 1994, her senior year in high school, she applied, was accepted, and  decided to attend Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Moving  from sunny California, to surviving the bitter cold winters of Rhode Island was an  education in itself. Throughout college, she honed her cooking skills, developed a  love for music (90’s) and hosted a few parties to get through those college days. With determination, her analytical mind and technical skills, Maria was able to  parlay all her abilities into a Cum Laude, Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in  Computer Science from Johnson & Wales University.         Upon finishing college, she moved to Houston, Texas to bond with her  grandfather, Robert E. Denson (resident of Houston). Houston was filled with family and opportunity, so, she worked several odd jobs until landing a position with Dell Laboratories in 1996.         Then in 1999, her computer expertise opened the door to the Houston Grand  Opera, where she was a competent, dependable, hardworking employee for 19 years  (until her untimely death November 7, 2018). During her employment at HGO, Maria received several promotions and awards for her excellent work within the IT  Department (final promotion: Network Administrator). Nine years ago, after being frugal with her finances, Maria bore the daunting  task of purchasing her own home in the Remington Ranch section of Houston,  Texas. Consequently, holding down the responsibilities of a home, being the caregiver for her mom and working for the Houston Grand Opera were three daily  requirements. Maria did manage to take a trip (once every three years); 4-7 days’ in the Dominican Republic, Pittsburgh, PA, Atlanta, GA, the Mexican Riviera, Las Vegas,  NV and L.A., CA. She’d often revealed her infectious smile when taking a picture or just having a relaxing, good time.         For those who believe, know this: Maria’s quiet, gentle spirit is alive and well living her “best life” right now; in her 2nd home: one she didn’t have to purchase,  not built by human hands and exactly to her liking. She is now embraced with the love and light of Jesus Christ, her Aunt Darlean Denson Yarbough (December 2015), her grandmother, Alice M. Denson (January 2017), her grandfather, Robert E. Denson  (September 2018) and a number of great aunts, uncles and cousins who preceded her. Maria is smart, she is kind & her importance will be remembered by her mother, Rosa Lee Denson, sister, Mira Martin, her Aunt Rowena Starling (cousin  Grady) her Aunt Robin Denson Anacker (Charles & cousin Robert), Aunt Carmencita  Denson (cousin Alicia), her Cousin Amika Jemison (sons, Elijah, Isaiah & Joshua),  Quinton Worthams, William Jemison, Uncle Federico Yarbough, Uncle Robert E. Denson, ll (Reta & cousins Ramiyah, Raelynn, and Robert III), Uncle Ramon Elan Denson, Great Aunt Earline Lillie (cousin Monique), Great Uncle Rev. Ben Roy Lillie (Laverne & cousins Ben Roy, II, Glenn, Reginald, Cheryl and Rita), Great Uncle Lewis  Lillie (Margaret and cousin Reagan), Great Aunt Mary Jewel Denson-Gunter, PhD  (cousin Athena Williams), her second cousin Doris Dodd-Gooden (Jerome and  cousins Anthony and Kennersen) and a host of family (Denson’s, Lillie’s, Dodd’s and  Gooden’s), good friend, Aisha Ross and other friends, here in Texas and back in  California.         (If we didn’t mention your name, count it to our heads & not our hearts, Amen?)