It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that we announce the passing of Esther E. Garcia, 79, of Fillmore, CA. Esther entered into eternal life with Christ on December 16, 2023 due to complications with her heart.
Esther was born in Fillmore in 1944 to Cipriano and Soledad Garcia. Her cherished memories growing up as a young girl in Fillmore include roller skating, going to the town theater with her siblings, attending the Black and White Ball, and being around her parents at the family store, La Victoria Market. She graduated from Fillmore Union High School in 1962 and after many years, she started working for the County of Ventura where eventually she retired in 2008 with over 20 years of service. A few years after retiring, one of Esther’s most memorable experiences was being able to travel to Spain in 2012 with a church group from St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.
One of Esther’s favorite things to do was baking for Christmas and was known for her rice krispie treats. With those baked goodies, she loved to make plates and give them to her close family and friends. Even when she was dealing with her health issues that never stopped her from wanting to bake. Whenever the holiday season was approaching, she made sure to make a list of everyone who would receive a plate. She would also make a list of everything she would be baking along with how much of each ingredient she would need. As she got older and with her health issues increasing, she could no longer bake on her own and for the last few years with the help of her daughter, she was able to continue doing what she loved. Her baked goodies for Christmas was something that many enjoyed, looked forward to, and will be missed.
Esther will always be remembered for her beautiful smile, loving heart, and friendly personality. We’ll always imagine hearing her say “Ay mija” and “I’m feeling better than I was” one more time. She loved animals especially her fur babies and they loved her, even at the end they stuck by her side. She was the best grandmother, mother, sister, and aunt anyone could ever ask for and we will truly miss her each and everyday.
Esther was preceded in death by her parents Cipriano and Soledad, and her siblings Eleana “Helen”, Irene, Carlos, Guillermo, Margarito, Santos, Pete, Phillip, and Ignacio “Nacho”. She is survived by her brother: Juan “Johnny” Garcia, sons: Franky Ponce, Edward (Carmen) Ponce, and daughter: Vanessa Garcia, grandkids: Sandra, Alex, Matthew, and Janessa, fur babies: Joker, Honey, Bolita, Coco, Smokey, and Bandit, and all of her nieces and nephews.
Funeral services for Esther will be as followed: The viewing will be held on Thursday, December 28th, from 4:00-8:00 pm with the rosary starting at 6 pm at Perez Family Funeral Home, 600 Central Ave. in Fillmore. The funeral mass will be held on Friday, December 29th, at 10 am at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 1048 Ventura St in Fillmore. Graveside services to immediately follow at Bardsdale Cemetery, 1698 S. Sespe St. in Fillmore.