Yvonne Cortinas

To Yvonne Cortinas, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Yvonne, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Yvonne really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Yvonne was born on March 23, 1974 at Kaiser Santa Teresa in San Jose, CA. Her parents were Linda Ann Cortinas and Frank Jose Sanchez. Yvonne was raised in San Jose, CA and Littleton, CO. Even as a child, Yvonne had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Yvonne was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Yvonne managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Yvonne was raised with three half siblings. She had two sisters, Nina and Tina, and one brother, Frank Sanchez.

All of Yvonne's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Yvonne experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. In her spare time she liked to play sports.

Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Yvonne was a class “cut-up.” She didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Yvonne simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Yvonne, grades may not have been the most important thing to her, but she really did enjoy her school experience. Since experience was Yvonne's best teacher. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Yvonne graduated from Independence High School.

Yvonne never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Yvonne to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Yvonne delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Yvonne was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Yvonne utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of her best friends were Ralphy and Carmen Torres, Diana Chairez, and Serenity Polizzi. Later in life, she remained friends with Diana Chairez and Ralphy Torres, and became friends with Sandra Chairez and Angie Salacup. Yvonne loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Yvonne very easy to approach. In November of 2009, Yvonne exchanged wedding vows with Sarai Rosa at the City Hall in Phoenix, AZ. She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

At work, as in life, Yvonne was a real “people person.” She had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Yvonne liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Yvonne was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Yvonne's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Yvonne as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was as an Expeditor. She was employed for 7 years and loved her customer service while getting the highest awards at work.

Yvonne enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Yvonne liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were photography and music. Yvonne was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Yvonne felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if she wasn’t the best, Yvonne loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Yvonne relished the opportunities where she could make an impact, and she would often push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Yvonne never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Recreational sports included softball. Yvonne was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were football (Raiders), basketball, and tennis.

Yvonne had an endless appetite for new and different activities. She was always ready to join in the fun and add her flair and energy to an organization. Because of her personality, her humor, and her ability to get along with everyone, Yvonne's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which she belonged. Throughout her later years, Yvonne was an active member of Team Depot.

Living life in the fast lane suited Yvonne just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Freeport, Bahamas and Kona, Hawaii.

Yvonne was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. One of Yvonne's favorites was her baby girl Lyric, a Toy Yorkie.

Yvonne passed away on January 1, 2012 at home. Yvonne fought a brave battle with kidney cancer for 26 months. She is survived by her mother Linda Ann Cortinas; her grandmother Rita Ruth Talmates; and her wife Sarai Rosa. Services were held at Oak Hill Funeral Home in San Jose, California. Yvonne was cremated and left with her mother and partner with the remaining to be scattered in Carmel, CA.

Yvonne brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Yvonne Cortinas lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.