Leatrice Lois Sanchez

Leatrice Lois Sanchez was born on February 26,1930 in Oakland, California to Julian and Mary Cañete. Her siblings were Dolores (Dolly) Cañete, Marcellina (Mars) Quiaoit, and Julian Cañete, Jr., who survives his older sisters. Her passing in the Hospice of San Joaquin on October 14, 2024 at 9:31pm was heartfelt by her close family as the chimes from Burns Tower at the University of the Pacific marked the end of an era.

Leatrice (Betty) led an admirable yet humble life despite having to experience life’s harsh realities at a young age. From 1938 to 1946, she found herself in the Philippines with her family. Her Portuguese American mother had to manage four children in a new land without knowledge of the language and culture to which her husband brought her. They were all put readily to work and learned to survive without him as he returned to the United States. When World War II broke out, Betty grew up under the occupation of the Japanese and the war stories abound. On her 16th birthday, passing under the Golden Gate Bridge aboard a Red Cross ship, she returned at last to her home country. She had to build a new life with her family as they reunited with her father in Stockton, California. Julian Sr. was a migrant farmworker, later a foreman, in the fertile fields of California, traveling often but always returning and sometimes including the family in his work. Betty recalled how she used to work picking strawberries, grapes and peaches as a teenager and serving the farm workers food when her mother cooked for them.

Betty’s early life was filled with work and a struggle to survive, but her outlook was always positive. She and her sisters were popular in the Filipino Community of Stockton in the 1940’s, which at the time was the largest in the United States. One year, she represented the Filipino Farmworkers’ Association as their Beauty Queen, raising money for the Filipino community and instilling Filipino pride.

She attended Edison High School, worked in the Stockton canneries with her sisters and studied at Stockton College majoring in Cosmetology. In the 1950’s, Betty had many ‘pen pals’ in the American military. One day, she met a handsome and charismatic American soldier, Salvador Solomon Sanchez, from Leyte, Philippines. They married in 1954, and Betty found her life take off to exciting places. Salvador was stationed in Seattle, Washington at the time. Then he was posted to Fort Ord, Monterey, California where their first child, Rebecca Lea, was born. Their second child, Edward Cañete, was born in La Chappelle Army Hospital in Meung Sur Loire, Orleans, France. Their third child, Randy James, was born in Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Their fourth child, Leatrice Lynne, was born in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. They later lived in White Sands, New Mexico and Schwabisch-Hall, Germany before returning home to Stockton, California in 1968 when Salvador received orders to Vietnam to join the 1st Air Calvary.

Like many families during the turbulent 60’s, Betty’s family anxiously waited to hear news from their loved one stationed in Vietnam. It often came in the form of a reel-to-reel tape which the whole family listened to attentively. Betty had to learn to drive and tend to the family by herself again as she had done during Sal’s three tours to Korea in the 50’s and early 60’s.

Sal safely and miraculously returned home from Vietnam in 1969. Two years later, he retired from the US Military as a First Sergeant after 21 years of dedicated service. Betty then decided to work on an AA Degree in Nursing at San Joaquin Delta College to help-out the family. As Sal adjusted to civilian life and work, he also had to adjust to Betty not being home all day. She worked as a licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) throughout the 70’s and 80’s in San Joaquin General Hospital where she retired after 21 years in the 1990’s.

After retirement, both Betty and Sal took advantage of the freedom to travel once again to visit their adult children wherever they were as well as the family in the Philippines. They kept busy in Stockton as active members of the Filipino United States Armed Forces Retiree Association (FUSAFRA) that held dances, dinners and fund raisers.

Betty’s hobbies throughout her married life were active and varied. She joined bowling leagues with Sal. Her specialty was bowling the ‘split spare’. She took classes in pottery in New Mexico and gifted her work. She was an ardent gardener when in good health, and her favorite tree in the backyard of their house on Nightingale Avenue was the Pomegranate Tree. She also enjoyed playing Pinochle with her sister, Mars, her brother-in-law, Joe Quiaoit, and Sal every Friday night. She was an excellent seamstress who often made her own clothes as well as outfits for her children and grandchildren. The lovely dresses and amazing Halloween costumes continue to be passed down through the generations.

Betty was devoted to her family throughout her life, taking in her aging, hard-working father; nursing Sal through Peritoneal Dialysis at home; and taking care of her older sister, Dolly, when she could no longer live alone safely. Betty supported all her children and grandchildren whenever they were in need.

During her final days, she was surrounded by her loving family who kept vigil beside her in the Hospice of San Joaquin, where she was given high-quality 24- hour care. She’ll always be remembered for her quiet strength, her tenacity, her love and her devotion to family for 94 years.

Leatrice Lois Sanchez is survived by her brother, Julian Cañete, Jr.; four children, Rebecca Sanchez-Loomis, Edward Cañete Sanchez, Randy James Sanchez, Leatrice Lynne Felix; ten grandchildren Jacqueline Schneider, Eric Sanchez, Laura Adams, Persis and Saleah Loomis, Danielle Saad, Sarah Sanchez, Marissa Fetsch, Brian and Zachary Felix; and seven great-grandchildren William and Mateo Vasquez, Lina Schneider, Noah and Leila Saad, Joaquin Fetsch, and Catherine Adams.

Sal and Betty’s legacy lives on. Please join the family in honoring Betty, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and a life well-lived.

Serving as pallbearers are Cecilio S. Felix, Jr., Zachary Felix , James Fetsch , Craig Loomis, Elie Saad, Eric Sanchez, William Gabriel Vasquez and Mateo Eduardo Vasquez.

Services will be held on Monday October 28, 2024 at De Young Memorial Chapel, 601 North California St., Stockton, CA 95202. A Visitation will be held from 2pm-6pm with Prayers beginning at 6pm, followed by a Reception from 7pm-730pm.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday October 29, 2024 at Cathedral of Annunciation, 400 W. Rose St., Stockton, CA 95203 from 10am-11am. A Committal will take place following Mass at Stockton Rural Cemetery, 2350 Cemetery Ln., Stockton, CA 95204. Followed by a Celebration of Life Reception between 1pm-3pm at China Palace, 5052 West Ln. Ste 4L, Stockton, CA 95210.

Memorial contributions in honor of Leatrice Lois Sanchez can be made to Hospice of San Joaquin.(www.hospicesj.org/contribute)