Yvette Marie Ledesma

When Yvette Marie Ladesma walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Yvette was and how she impacted those around her. Yvette was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Yvette wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Yvette was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

Yvette was born on September 2, 1984 at Whittier Presbyterian Hospital in Whittier, California. She was the daughter of Robert and Denise Ladesma. Yvette was raised in Hacienda Heights, California. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Yvette might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Yvette was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

Yvette was raised with one sibling. She had a younger brother, Robert. Yvette was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Yvette was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Yvette well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her.

As a young girl, Yvette was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Yvette was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. Yvette took part in baseball. She was in T-Ball and YMCA Gymnastics. Yvette's memorable achievements included winning for her fish tank science project in elementary school. Yvette had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

During her high school years, Yvette responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. She graduated from Bassett High School in 2002. Yvette was a very good student, and generally did well in her courses. Yvette absorbed as much as she could from all of her teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using her imagination to master her assignments. For Yvette, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to her ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Yvette a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to her to discuss just about anything. The teacher she enjoyed learning from the most was her Principal Mrs. Pruitt.

With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends, Yvette was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Yvette was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. She always seemed aware of what was going on with people around her and throughout her life she made many, many friends. While growing up, some of her best friends were Valarie Rosales, Vanessa Pena, Alfonso Castro,.

Yvette was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation was cashier. She was employed by Jack in the Box. Yvette was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize her. Yvette had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for insight. Yvette's fellow workers saw her as a supporter and a mentor.

Because Yvette loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were hanging out with family. She loved to be with her cousins. Yvette had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, Yvette's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

Yvette derived much satisfaction from participating in and watching sports. Her charisma, supportive nature and ability to improvise when called upon to do so all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. In high school, Yvette played baseball and volleyball. Recreational sports included family picnics and playing Bingo. Yvette was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity.

Throughout her life, Yvette was actively involved in professional and community organizations. She was compassionate, accommodating and quick to move into action. Always able to build a consensus, Yvette seemed to be the person smack dab in the middle of things, working to get things done. Those who had the opportunity to work with Yvette usually agreed that when you were involved in an organization with her, it was as entertaining as anything you could imagine. In high school, Yvette was a member of the ASB.

Yvette was a woman who was dedicated and devoted to her faith. She was a member St. John Vianney Catholic Church. She was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and she used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for her beliefs.

Though she never did anything solely for individual recognition, Yvette's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and selflessness, earned her accolades for her many lifelong efforts. Some of her most prestigious awards included Perfect Attendance in Elementary School, Citizenship Award and Student Assistant Award.

Yvette's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Yvette took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. She loved to go camping with her Grandpa Nick and Grandma Pat.

Yvette was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Roxy, a black Terrier and Lab dog, was a best friend for 16 years.

Yvette Ladesma passed away on May 31, 2012 at Whittier Presbyterian Hospital. She is survived by her mother Denise, her brother Robert, Grandma Patricia, Grandpa David George and Mary, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Nieces and Nephews. Services were held at Custer Christiansen Chapel. Yvette was laid to rest in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Covina, California.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Yvette. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Yvette Ladesma for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Yvette was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.

Daughter,

Today and always, please know that I see you. I see the path you've made that's all your own. I see the many unique talents and gifts you have to share. I see your brilliance, your enthusiasm, and how deeply you care and hurt sometimes. I see your hard-earned wisdom, your soft pure innocence, your courage and compassion, your unconditional goodness. I see what a difference you make in this world, and I hope you know how very much I love you, and how proud I'll always be to have a daughter as wonderful as you.