The Lord called His good and faithful servant, Rosario Almazan Izquierdo, 59, of Fontana, California, on January 20, 2021, and she is now at home with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She was born on October 4, 1961 to Angelita Franco Almazan and Faustino Sebastian Almazan.
Rosario, known dearly to many as Cherry—and also as Rose, the most devoted and loving wife, mother and grandmother, is survived by her husband Eduardo (Ed), her son Kevin, her daughter-in-law Rachel, and grandchildren Eleanor Lucila and Oliver James, her sister Teresita "Tessie" Sanchez, and three adoring foundling cats, Hannah, Hallelujah, and Hezekiah.
She met the love of her life, the man that would win her heart, at John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, in first period orchestra class in the fall of 1978. Ed watched from the woodwind section as this beautiful, amazing and petite young lady wielded a string bass that seemed to be twice her height with aplomb! After high school graduation she attended the University of California at Riverside and then pursued her post-graduate education. She had to leave Ed behind for a time while she completed her master’s degree program in physical therapy at Hahnemann University, which took her across the country to the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia, in 1984. It was the physical therapy program that had been transplanted from the University of Pennsylvania as a master’s curriculum. Today the program continues at Drexel University. It was a tremendous distinction to have been accepted into this auspicious and extremely selective program. After graduation, her southern California homecoming and state board certification in physical therapy was followed immediately by her marriage to Ed, in the presence of a magistrate in downtown Los Angeles. They had initially approached multiple parishes attempting to plan a beautiful, traditional, and holy celebration of matrimony in the presence of God but, everywhere they turned, the churches were uniformly wary and dismissive of them. Rose would not dream of even a single day of living together outside of marriage—it is her way—and so they joyfully went to see a Los Angeles County judge for the certification of marriage on July 11, 1986. Lutheran minister Roger Rogahn, the husband of her beloved middle-school music teacher DeeAnn Rogahn, married them in December of that same year in the presence of God, family, and friends.
By June of the following year, they were blessed with the birth of their son, Kevin, in the Northridge District of Los Angeles, where Rose had started her first professional position as a neuro-rehabilitation therapist at Northridge Hospital Medical Center. There were two miscarriages that followed so it seemed that the Lord wanted her, and Ed, to focus completely on their son. From her position at Northridge, Rose went on to manage a busy physical therapy clinic in Whittier and soon thereafter discovered her true calling: home health physical therapy. After years of working independently, and later with Ed, who had braved a career-change to physical therapy with Rose’s faithful, tireless, and loving support and inspiration, she joined the home health team at Kaiser Permanente in Fontana at the turn of the century. By 2010, Ed had joined the team there as well.
Rose went on to be not just an exemplary physical therapist but also a beloved mentor and leader in her professional life as an accomplished clinician and also as a provider of steadfast support to her coworkers as a clinical leader and union steward—making herself available at any time and for any need. Rose was in her 21st year with Kaiser Permanente.
Rose had the natural talent and personality to make friends in any situation, and her warmth and caring were always a blessing to those around her. A woman of true integrity, never hesitating to lend a hand or make time for anyone that asked.
Rose loved music and was not only an accomplished classical string bass player but also an excellent guitarist. There was no chord she could not play beautifully on six or twelve strings. For many years Rose and Ed (with his keyboards) would jam in their music room on their own and sometimes with other friends and family for hours on end. Rose also loved running and had completed many half and full marathons including the full 2011 Los Angeles Marathon from Dodger Stadium to the Santa Monica Pier in hours of constant pounding rain! Rose also loved the outdoors, from slot canyons to wide open spaces. Always fearless and readily trusting Ed to plan, lead and get them back in one piece, they shared many amazing places together including The Wave in northern Arizona and the Virgin River hike up through the Narrows in Zion National Park and so many others, often waiting patiently while Ed photographed their progress.
In these last two years, Rose found her most favorite thing to do in the world: riding her Yamaha T-dub and her Honda Rebel 500 motorcycles. Off-road, Ed and Rose explored fascinating and widely varied desert landscapes with Anza-Borrego State Park and Ocotillo Wells being, far and away, their favorite destinations. They also flew over endless ribbons of highway on their street bikes up and down the central California coast and all the way back home to the Inland Empire. Venturing even further into the horizon, they rode in Death Valley, Monument Valley, Zion, Bryce, and Arches, and nearly all the way out to Grand Junction, Colorado, rain or shine. Occasionally, time would surprise them and darkness would come quickly leaving them to ride only by starlight if the moon was not available. She confessed that night-riding was not advisable on motorcycles but that it was absolutely breathtaking. By autumn of last year, as the days were getting shorter, Rose would often take-off on her own for a short ride if Ed was not yet back from work, while there was still light, sometimes even going all the way up to Mt. Baldy.
But more than anything in the world, Rose loved being with her grandchildren Eleanor and Oliver and cherished every moment with them. Her son Kevin, her pride and her joy, and his lovely wife, Rachel, had brought every dream she could have for him to life.
Underscoring every minute of her life is her love of Jesus Christ. Ever grateful for the many blessings from the Lord throughout the decades of her time here with us, she lived every day, first, to glorify God with the love and the care she shared so freely both personally and professionally.
While we who remain feel the unbearable loss of her physical presence in each of our lives, we can rest assured that the Lord has, indeed, called home His good and faithful servant.
Rose’s Memorial Service will occur from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 7, 2021, at the Draper Mortuary Chapel, 811 N. Mountain Ave., Ontario, CA. Donations can be made to Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, Pastor Jack Hibbs.
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