Cristina Marie Flores

When Cristina Flores walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Cristina was and how she impacted those around her. Cristina was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Cristina wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Cristina was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

      Cristina was born on January 14, 1983 at Bay General Hospital in San Diego, CA. She was the daughter of Frank and Rosa Flores. Cristina was raised in Guam. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Cristina might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Cristina was always in pursuit of life's endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

      Cristina was raised with two siblings. She had an older sister, Michelle and an older brother Frankie. Cristina was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Cristina was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Cristina well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her.

      As a young girl, Cristina was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Cristina was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. She was a cheerleader. In her spare time she liked riding her bike and going to the beach. Cristina had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

      During her high school years, Cristina responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. She graduated from Southern High School in 2001. Cristina was a very good student, and generally did well in her courses. Cristina absorbed as much as she could from all of her teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using her imagination to master her assignments. For Cristina, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to her ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Cristina a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to her to discuss just about anything. Her favorite class in high school was art class.

      Cristina did well in college, as a result of her comfort level with tackling new theories and her love of learning. She earned her Associate in Arts degree in Sociology from South Western College in 2007. She was pursuing her B. A. In Liberal Arts. Her favorite courses were art class. Cristina was very adaptable, a quality that helped her make the transition from high school to college with little difficulty. As a result, Cristina's problem solving skills and thirst for new knowledge almost guaranteed that she enjoyed virtually every class she took. Cristina was always in quest of new things to learn and experience

      With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends, Cristina was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Cristina was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. She always seemed aware of what was going on with people around her and throughout her life she made many, many friends. While growing up, some of her best friends were Joni and Celina. Later in life, she became friends with Monique.

      Cristina was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life's possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation was as a Business Manager. She was a student/YMCA. Cristina was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize her. Cristina had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for insight. Cristina's fellow workers saw her as a supporter and a mentor.

      Because Cristina loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were traveling, dancing and riding her bike. Cristina had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, Cristina's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

      Cristina was a woman who was dedicated and devoted to her faith. She was Catholic. She was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and she used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for her beliefs.

      Cristina's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Cristina took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favorite vacations included Kauai, Guam, Grand Canyon, Lake Tahoe, San Felipe, Las Vegas, Cabo, Santa Monica, Reno and taking cruises.

      Cristina was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Pixie, a Chiuauaua, was a best friend for three years. Her family was rounded out by her dog Brutus and her cat Billie.

      Cristina Flores passed away on January 29, 2010 at San Diego, CA. She is survived by her Mother, Rosa, her Father Frank, her Sister Michelle and Brother Frankie. Services were held at Humphrey Mortuary. Cristina was laid to rest at Greenwood Memorial Park in San Diego, CA.

      There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Cristina. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Cristina Flores for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Cristina was always more than willing to share life's experiences with her loved ones.