Tina Canales

Tina Canales

October 9, 1965 - April 13, 2025

On April 13, 2025, at approximately 7:11pm our beloved Maria Cristina "Tina" Canales passed while in the UCLA Neurological Intensive Care Unit. She was surrounded by love from her family, but it was an unexpected, sudden, and abrupt end to the life of a beautiful woman.

Tina was a dedicated, supportive, and inspiring guiding light to her daughters: Natalie Onken Persico (Luke Persico), Isabella Onken, and Gabriella "Gigi" Onken.

She was half of an enviable 39-year love story with her husband, Greg Onken, and often held his hand whilst they slept "so that they wouldn't become separated."

She was a steadfast sister to her siblings: Marta Canales, Ana Canales (Bruce Streblow), James "Bucky" Canales (dec. Pamela Canales), Paul Canales (Mary Canales), and her deceased brother, Mark Canales (Pam Canales).

She was a devoted and dedicated daughter to her deceased parents, Dr. Jose Canales and Shirley Anne Hall Canales.

She was an ever-present, encouraging figure to her nieces, nephews, and godchildren, and an honorary "Aunt Tina" to a select group of "lucky ducks."

She had one granddaughter, Lilia Luisa Persico, and her grandchildren were going to call her "Lita."

She was the nuclear center and welcoming hostess to her immediate and extended family: all were welcome, be it for 30 minutes or 30 days.

She was a trusted confidant, advisor, and best of friends to a vast array of people because she provided unbiased, authentic, sound advice, could keep a secret, and had style.

She believed in service with and for others. Over the years, she was actively involved and supported multiple organizations focused on children's health, assisting the displaced, feeding the downtrodden, and education. Her operating motto was that "one can't go wrong protecting the innocent."

She had an accomplished career that included 12 years at "Mickey Drexler University" (aka The Gap), 10 years as co-founder and CEO of Peek...Aren't You Curious, and a stint as a senior vice president and general manager of Gymboree.

She valued creativity, anything done well, and beauty in any form.

She was not material but loved "stuff."

She was generous and was a standard-setting gift giver, believing that if one could give a gift that made someone feel better about themselves, then that person would be a better person.

She smelled like cookies in the morning.

She squeezed the toothpaste from the middle.

One of her best friends was a little boy dog called Diego.

Water brought her calm.

She appreciated an afternoon coffee and a morning tea.

She thought herself lucky, blessed, and fortunate - always expecting the parking spot up front.

She possessed a vast collection of inscribed children's books.

She loved a hardware store.

Her favorite sounds were chirping birds and laughing toddlers.

She disliked flying.

She could be subversive but never manipulative.

She was beautiful.

She found street art inspiring and habitually shared it.

She was fiercely loyal.

She once announced, "nuts and strawberries don't belong in salads."

She didn't like crass humor, preferring clever and witty. She was funny.

The Pantone Book of Colors was one of her cherished possessions.

She preferred English gardens.

She thought curiosity and kindness were two of the main ingredients in the making of a good human.

Her prized "Tina's tacos" were once mentioned in Vogue Magazine.

She collected things she wished she had said.

She saw magic.

She wasn't a very good driver, but had a perfect record.

She wanted to bring back the country club wedding.

She said her prayers every night.

She liked to sit on the floor.

To her, math was an intuitive process.

Christmas music, Nick Cave, INXS, opera, Stevie Wonder, "Elton," Amy Winehouse, and, of course, The Rolling Stones.

She was both fearless and vulnerable.

She always picked up the bill.

Her most-liked cities were London and Rome, but her favorite locations were poolside and home.

She disliked naps and "hit the ground running."

She called you back.

She never played pickleball but declared that had she, she "would have been good."

The Hallmark Channel was unabashedly her favorite TV pastime. "It is happy!"

She gave her children ice cream for breakfast on their birthdays.

She once ventured solo to Africa for safari.

She made people feel seen and important.

She didn't own much red clothing.

She gifted countless sets of fancy pajamas and lounged in bespoke pj's, but usually slept in oversized, giveaway, graphic tees.

She thought certainty was the eighth deadly sin.

The last words she spoke individually to each of her daughters and her husband were "I love you."

The last words she said to her doctors in the neurological ICU were "thank you."

Our world seems like a lesser place without her and is a better place because of her. She is loved because she loved. She was kind, and so should we be.

A memorial mass will be held on Friday, May 30th, 2025, at 11:00 am in the St. Helena Catholic Church, 1340 Tainter St, St Helena, CA 94574. Reception to follow.

For those who have asked what they can do to show love for Tina, the family has chosen St. Jude because of the good work they do for pediatric cancer patients. http://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/tinacanales