Lucinda "Lucy" Lizarraga de Moreno

November 10, 1929—February 1, 2014

“Lucy”, “Grandma Lucy”, “Tia Lucy”, “Mrs. Moreno”

Lucinda “Lucy” Lizarraga de Moreno, who preferred the name “Lucy”, was an expert tamale maker, enjoyed reading and telenovelas, named each dog she had “Mousy’, and was a loving caregiver who would always open her home to family and friends coming to San Jose with a place to rest and they all remember her excellent cooking! Her home was one of the original mash-ups of San Jose that brought together cousins from both her immediate and extended family to create lifelong memories.

Lucy passed away on February 1, 2014, and was preceded in death by her husband, Ruben, mother Maria, father Teodoro, and siblings Maria and Jose. Lucy is survived by her five children Victor Moreno and wife Nancy, Robert Moreno and wife Patricia, Delia Kruger and husband Mike, Alex Moreno, and Art Moreno and wife Rosand. She had 7 grandchildren Lauren, Mike Jr., Robert Jr., Ben, Natalie, Alyssa, and Emily, and 2 great-grandchildren from Lauren Martin and husband Roy, Cruz and Rayne. She is also survived by three brothers, Ricardo Lizarraga, Venustiano Lizarraga, and Teodoro Lizarraga and many beloved nephews, nieces, cousins, and longtime friends.

Lucy and Ruben married in Culiacan, Mexico on January 2, 1954. They settled in San Jose as one of the first homeowners on Brooks Ave. in Willow Glen when the area was still full of fruit trees, canneries, and dirt roads. She worked seasonally in the canneries and enjoyed reading, especially the “Memin Pinguin” comic series, her favorite novela was “La Gata”, and favorite singer/actor was Pedro Infante. Her husband passed away in 1972 and Lucy carried on for over 40 years as a single parent and did her best in raising five children, Victor, Robert, Delia, Alex and Art.

Lucy was an excellent cook everyone had their favorites of what she made no one made it quite like hers....tamales, oatmeal, albondigas (meatball soup), enchiladas, huevos and weenies, cinnamon coffee cake when her kids were young, and more. Lucy family will always remember as an awesome cook; her son Victor would always say "No one made tamales like Mom." Her oldest grandchild Lauren says "No one made oatmeal as good as Grandma's." Her youngest grandchild, Emily, loved her "huevos and weenies' so much that it was the first thing Emily learned to cook with Grandma's teaching. Lucy grew her own chilis and also cactus in backyard to make nopales. Lucy's cooking skills have been passed on to her nephew's family, too. When they lived with her for Lucy and Ruben both enjoyed cooking and Lucy always enjoyed Ruben's tacos and sauces and the tradition carries on.... her niece, Natalia, is following in her footsteps to be a culinary artist with food, too. At block on Brooks Ave (her street in Willow Glen) a favorite request was for Lucy's beans or potato salad.

Lucy had many friends and when younger liked to play cards, take trips to Reno, and enjoyed a surprise birthday mariachi serenade with dear friends Susie and Maria. She has many funny stories with her friends including one of phobia of escalators and grabbing hold of her friend Susie going down escalator in casino, it was quite a sight and makes Susie laugh to this day. She kept active and was often seen walking to Walgreen’s or Mi Rancho to get chili’s and treats. She was most happy when cooking and seeing the smile on faces of family and friends eating a meal she made whether it be tamales, enchiladas, oatmeal, pozole, Albondigas, or nopales from her backyard cactus and teaching grandkids how to make ‘huevos and weenies’. All will remember Grandma/Tia Lucy and her frequent phrases, “Coma!” to come eat or “Que Dios los bendiga” to wish God’s blessings to all who helped her. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

“Lucy”, “Abuela Lucy”, “Tia Lucy”, “Mrs. Moreno”

Lucinda Lizarraga Moreno, que prefería el nombre “Lucy”, quien era una experta en hacienda tamales. Le encantaban las novellas y nombraba a todos sus perros mausy. Ella siempre recibía a familiars y amistades en su casa con mucho amor, que encontraban un lugar para reposar y disfrutaban de las deliciosas comidas que ella preparaba. Su hogar era muy diverso con familia imediata y extendida que se unieron para crear memorias inolvidables.

Nacida en casa en noviembre del 1929 a Maria y Teodoro Lizarraga en El Verde, Concordia, Sinaloa, Mexico. Lucy falleció en febrero 1, 2014 acompañando a su esposo Ruben, su madre Maria, su padre Teodoro, y hermanos Maria , Jose, Y Natalia. Lucy vive en sus cinco hijos Victor, Roberto, Delia, Arturo, y Alex Moreno. Tuvo sieto nietos Lauren, Mike Jr., Ben, Natalie, Alyssa, and Emily, y dos bisnietos de parte de Lauren y su esposo Roy, Cruz y Rayne. Tambien vive en sus hermanos Ricardo, Venustiano, y Teodoro Lizarraga al igual en sus sobrinos, primos, y amistades de toda la vida. Los cuales mantenian contacto desde San Jose, California del Sur, y Mexico.

Lucy era la segunda de seis ninos y crecio en la ciudad de Culiacan. Trabajo duro toda su vida, teniendo a su madre de ejemplo, siempre la admiro y estaba muy orgullosa de ella. Le encantaba cuando sus hermanos y otros familiares venian a visitar la y siempre ayudaba a los que lo necesitaban. Le gustaba tener a sus nietos y sobrinos en su casa, en la cual los crio a cada uno y los amo con todo su Corazon.

Lucy y Ruben se casaron en 1954. Vivieron en San Jose como uno de los primeros duenos en la vecindad de Brooks Ave. en Willow Glen. Cuando aun avia arboles de fruta y calles de tierra. Trabajaba temporalmente en las Fabricas de conserva y disfrutaba de las comicas de “Memin Pinguin”. Su novela preferida era “La Gata” y “Luz Clarita”, su cantante favorite era Pedro Infante. Su marido, Ruben, fallecio en 1972 mientras ella siguio cuidando de sus hijos por 40 anos como madre soltera. Ellos disfrutaban de paseos al Willow Street Park, de los platillos esquisitos de su madre, y paseos anuales a San Diego y Culiacan.

Lucy tuvo muchas amistades con las cual le gustaba jugar cartas y ir de paseo a Reno. Siempre se mantuvo activa, caminando al Mercado a comprar chiles y golocinas para sus nietos y sobrinos. Le gustaba mucho cocinar para la gente y sonreia al ver los disfrutar de sus delicias. Fuera tamales, albondigas, pozole, o napales de su patio, le enseno a sus nietos como hacer “huevos con weenis” como ella decia.

Todos la recordaremos como Lucy la madre, esposa, amiga, abuela, y querida Tia con sus fraces amorosas “ I love you too mucha” “Que dios los bendiga’’ y muchas mas. Todos la vamos a extranar con todo nuestro Corazon . Pero sabemos que ella ya esta descansado en la Gloria del senor.