Maria Artemia Suarez

MARIA ARTEMIA SUAREZ, 59 VALLEY VILLAGE, CA- Maria Artemia Suarez, much-loved daughter, mother, wife and sister and friend, passed away suddenly in the early hours of February 28, 2026. Maria was born in Saigon, Vietnam on June 17, 1966 to George V. Suarez and Sugie K. Suarez. She was their only child but was kid sister to brother Chris Suarez and sister Sandra Suarez, with whom she shared father George. In 1972, Maria moved with her parents to Miami, Florida. Attending her aunt Olga Bergstrom’s dance studio, Maria became a dedicated and graceful ballet dancer into her high school years. Maria was a 1984 graduate of Madonna Academy. She then relocated to Chicago, Illinois to attend college, first at Loyola University and then Columbia College Chicago, where she graduated with a B.A. in film in 1989. After graduation, Maria worked in Chicago as a commercial producer for Bill Youmans Productions and at the arts-in-education non-profit Urban Gateways. In 1995, Maria married Brad Wood and in 1997 their first child- Olivia Asta Wood- was born.

In 2000, Maria, Brad and Olivia moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, where they soon settled into their Valley Village home. In 2003 their second daughter- Vanessa Simone Wood- was born. In addition to caring for her daughters full-time, Maria volunteered at the school library at Children’s Community School in Van Nuys, where both Olivia and Vanessa attended. In 2010, Maria returned to work, first at Disney Consumer Products, then Munchkin Inc. and finally at Harbor Freight Tools, where she enjoyed the opportunity to work from home full-time. Maria was an avid gardener, starting in earnest in 2006 and expanding her gardens to include all of the front and side yards of her Valley Village home, aided by her college friend Jim Rodney. She found a happy work-life balance, spending moments of her day tending to her family’s needs, her garden’s needs, cooking or just a nice walk around the neighborhood. Maria had many friends and shared her passions for plants, knitting, food (cooking and especially eating), childrearing, literature and politics with a large network of like-minded people. Always opinionated, always informed, Maria had a sharp intellect and enjoyed deep conversations punctuated by her infectious laugh.

Preceded in death by her father George Suarez, Maria is survived by her mother Sugie Suarez, brother Chris Suarez (Colleen), sister Sandra Suarez; husband Brad Wood; children Olivia and Vanessa Wood; nephew David Suarez (Lissette); grandnephews and grandniece; many beloved cousins and second cousins.

There will be a Celebration of Life service for Maria at 10:00am on Thursday May 28 at Media City Church, 269 E. Providencia Ave., Burbank, CA, 91502.