Juana Nieto Vaca

To Juana NIETO VACA, 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 Juana, 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. Juana really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Her parents were Jose Nieto and Ladislada Vaca. Juana was raised in Guanajuato Mexico. Even as a child, Juana had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn't’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She succeeded in caring for her entire family.

Always a great Grandmother, Juana was easy going and 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, Juana managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Juana was raised with four siblings. She had older brother Juan, two sisters and a younger brother Maria, Aurelia and Javier.

All of Juana'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, Juana experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. She took part in baseball.

Perhaps the reason Juana related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Juana was blessed with two children, Carmen, Lourdes. They were also blessed with seven grandchildren, Gerardo, Oscar, Montserrat, Carina, Janet, Maria Fernanda and Isaac Rodrigo. Juana had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Juana's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Juana had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Juana was a real “people person.” She had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Juana liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Juana was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Juana's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Juana as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was seamstress then later become a homemaker. She was employed for 30 years by Telas Escalera.

Juana felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if she wasn’t the best, Juana loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Juana 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, Juana never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Juana was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were were soccer and baseball.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Juana recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member of Mary Star of the sea for 23 years.

Living life in the fast lane suited Juana 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 visiting family and travel to new destinations in Mexico.

Juana passed away on Lunes, 5 de diciembre del 2016 at parkview hospice San Diego, California. Juana fought a brave battle against Alzheimer's for 7 yrs. She is survived by her daughters Carmen and Lourdes; grandchildren Gerardo, Oscar, Montserrat, Carina, Janet, Maria Fernanda, Isaac Rodrigo and great-grandchildren Brian,Abraham, Jaqueline, Noah, Jocelyn, Izaiah, Penelope, Leonardo, Victoria and Soledad. Services were held at Mary Star of the Sea Church. Juana was laid to rest in Holy Cross Cemetery in San Diego, California.

Juana 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. Juana NIETO VACA lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be truly missed and remembered with a smile.