Hope Chavez Calderon

Hope C. Calderon (Esperanza Solano), 86, died peacefully at home with her family by her side on Tuesday, December 11, 2012. She was born September 25, 1926 in Riverside, the daughter of Fidencio & Epifañia (Solano) Chavez. In 1948 Hope married the love of her life, Joe P. Calderon and started their family in Norwalk and later settled in Long Beach. Joe fell in love with her natural beauty from the moment he set eyes on her. They were married on April 11,1948 in Our Lady of Soledad Church in East Los Angeles. Joe always boasted to others of how lucky he was to have found Hope. They were married for 52 years when Joe passed away in April of 2000. Hope's first child was Cynthia (John) Gonzales, followed by Joyce (Jim) Larson, Joseph (Candy) Calderon, and Daniel (Lydia) Calderon. At 43 she had Richard. She dedicated her life to her husband, family and children. Hope was blessed with 8 grandchildren, David Gonzales and his wife Emily, Jimmy Larson, Angela Larson, Elise Palazzolo and her husband Chris, Laura Arena and her husband Chris, Lauren Calderon, Maya Calderon and Mateo Calderon; and 3 great-grandchildren Jackson Gonzales, Gasper Palazzolo and Landon Gonzales. She was preceaded in death by her two brothers Elpidio Chavez and Fidel Chavez and her sister Celia Hernandez. Hope and Joe enjoyed Saturday night dances with their compadres. Their favorite weekend getaway was Las Vegas during the 1960s. Hope also enjoyed entertaining, cooking, crocheting, sewing and doll collecting. Through her stages of dementia, the memory of her children never diminished. The family suggests, in lieu of flowers, a donation to the Alzheimer's Association.

Luyben Family Dilday-Mottell Mortuary (562) 425-6401