SOLEDAD CARDENAS

1928 - 2025

SOLEDAD "SALLY" CARDENAS

Oct. 19, 1928 – Mar. 20, 2025

Soledad "Sally" Quintana Cardenas was born on October 19, 1928, in Brawley to Eugenio & Aurora Quintana. She passed away on March 20, 2025. She was the eldest of three children.

Sally grew up on "G" Street, in Brawley, where her father owned and operated the neighborhood grocery store, "La Nueva Era." Although the store was small, it was an integral part of the neighborhood community. Sally recalls her father allowing the neighbors to buy groceries on credit when needed. As a young girl, Sally, with other family members, helped her father run the store. She was instrumental in ordering product, paying bills, and doing the banking. Later, as a young teen she took on more responsibilities when her father was hospitalized for a long period of time. The family opened a second store, "The New Era Market," on Palm Avenue. This larger and more modern store was also an important part of the neighborhood. Later the store became a rental property for the family and was known as Bobby's Market.

Sally married her high school sweetheart, Rudy Cardenas on November 28, 1948. Together they had six children. Rudy was a member of the Imperial County Sheriff's Department, holding various positions before he retired as Undersheriff. Sally was the proud spouse of Rudy's long law enforcement career. She loved joining other law enforcement spouses at their get-togethers, annual Sheriff's BBQ, and political rallies. During her marriage, Sally held several jobs pertaining to bookkeeping before she started her college education as an older student. After all her children were born she graduated with an AA from IVC, a BA, MA and teaching credential from SDSU/Calexico. During her studies she substitute taught in her children's classes and completed her student teaching while pregnant with her youngest child. In 1965 she was hired to teach at Miguel Hidalgo School, where she attended elementary school as a young girl and where Rudy was once a custodian. Sally taught 4th grade her first year and kindergarten every year after for 25 years. Sally cherished her students, families and colleagues and maintained friendships with them many years after her retirement. She loved joining her group of "school" friends for monthly bunco games. She also loved meeting friends for coffee at McDonald's every morning. Sally and Rudy enjoyed traveling in their RV to many places and spending time at their cabin in Ensenada, along with many of their compadres and friends. She also enjoyed traveling to San Diego for an occasional Padres game. Sally was an accomplished seamstress and quilter. She entered many of her quilts in competitions at the fair each year. Her quilts were displayed in her home with the ribbons she won. She was proud to have made quilts for all her children and grandchildren. After Rudy's passing, she enjoyed many trips to different parts of Mexico and South America with Dr. Reynaldo Ayala's SDSU groups, as well as Rome with groups from Sacred Heart Parish.

Sally is survived by her four sons, Rudy (Rosalinda), Michael (Maggie) of Brawley, Gene (Marina) of El Centro and Richard of San Diego, and two daughters, Cynthia (Reyes) Quezada of Redlands, and Linda Moschetti of Brawley, as well as 15 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, sister-in-law, Louisa Cardenas, and numerous nieces and nephews. In her final years, Sally was lovingly cared for by a group of wonderful caregivers.

Services will be handled by Frye Chapel. Rosary will begin at 9:30 a.m. and mass will commence at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 25, 2025, at Sacred Heart Church with burial following at Riverview.