Erma H. Cantu

Our mother Erma Herlinda Negrete Cantu was born February 15, 1921, in Wilmington, California. She passed away peacefully on February 5, 2017, at her home surrounded at her bedside by her children and grandchildren. Mom was just ten days shy of her 96th birthday. Her parents were Pablo and Esther Negrete. On December 29, 1940, she married our father Bill Varela Cantu and they had six children. She was proceeded in death by her parents, husband Bill, son Larry, grandson Christopher Mejia, brothers Freddie, Ruben and Adolph Negrete. Mom was survived by her sister Mary Shaw; children Esther "Gena" Mejia (Joe), Susie Hernandez (Danny), Bill Cantu (Dolores), Linda Martinez (Jerry), and Louise "Tinker" Felix (Freddie).

Our mom, Erma, attended Wilmington Park School and Banning High School then later went on to work until she married. She was an active PTA member at Hawaiian Avenue Elementary School and held several PTA positions. As a housewife for more than 25 years, she returned to work when offered a position as a Bilingual Educational Assistant by the principal at Hawaiian Avenue until she retired at the age of 80.

Mom was a very accomplished seamstress; she sewed and designed many of her evening and day wear for the VFW conventions, ceremonial rituals, and local and district meetings during the time of her membership. She served through the offices and twice as president of the VFW Post 2967 Ladies Auxiliary.

Our mother continued to be active and loved to bowl at the Cove Bowl, where she was on a bowling league. She bowled multiple games of 300 and won several league trophies. She also took up pottery at the Wil-Hall Rec Center. She was a senior club member of the Sincere, Wil-Hall, VFW (Harbor Lites Senior Club), and Sunshine. She enjoyed trips to casinos, reading romance and mystery novels, and especially playing Bingo and Rummy, being the only one allowed to keep score. Dancing was a passion of mom's, especially at the VFW and Torrance Elks. She was a Banning High School Booster member and attended their football games as well as Harbor College football games. Thanksgiving and Christmas were two of her favorite holidays and we seemed to have more in numbers at the table, including cousins and neighborhood friends.

Grandma Cantu had eighteen grandchildren, forty great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. She was loved by us all.