In loving memory of Lucy M. DeLaTorreJanuary 8, 1938 – March 28, 2025
Lucy DeLaTorre, 87, passed away peacefully at her home in Encinitas, on March 28th after a long illness.
Born in 1938 to Mercy and Antonio De La Torre in Colton, California, Lucy was a loving, generous, and selfless mother, wife, sister, daughter, cousin, aunt, godmother and friend.
She came from a family of four sisters and three brothers.
As a child, Lucy’s parents owned and operated a restaurant in Colton, California.
After her parents closed the restaurant, Lucy’s family moved to Solana Beach to be close to Mercy’s sister who owned a successful restaurant called the Blue Bird Cafe where Mercy would be employed as a cook.
Lucy’s family would live just up the street from the Blue Bird, in an area of Solana Beach, commonly called “La Colonia” or Eden Gardens. In the 1950’s, Valley Avenue in Eden Gardens was a bustling hub of Mexican Restaurants, some of which are still owned and operated by the original families.
Lucy graduated from San Dieguito High School in 1956.
After high school, she often traveled back to Colton to help her sister Olga with her seven children.
In her late teens and early 20’s, she spent her time between Olga’s house in Colton and her mother’s home in Solana Beach.
She drove a convertible and had a little dog who would ride shot gun.
Eventually, a young carpenter who lived in Oceanside, began driving out to Colton to court Lucy while she stayed with her sister.
That gregarious and ambitious young carpenter was Jesse DeLaTorre who, very coincidentally, shared Lucy’s last name though they were not related.
Not long after, Jesse and Lucy married at St. John’s Catholic Church in 1961.
Lucy and Jesse were enthusiastic partners in life who would have four children.
Lucy would be Jesse’s stalwart support and partner in his business endeavors and enthusiastic companion in their life experiences.
Together they lived within a tight knit community in North San Diego County that lived during a time when life seemed simpler, but by no means easier.
They worked hard, went to church, helped each other out, and enjoyed life. Many ran businesses grounded in the trades, and, because of North San Diego County’s growth, experienced prosperity.
Lucy and Jesse loved to go parties, give parties and, on occasion, crash parties.
They traveled a bit to various parts of the world such as Europe and South America, but they especially enjoyed waking up early in the morning and driving to visit their many friends and relatives throughout the Southwest corner of the USA.
They also loved to pay visits to their much loved relatives in to Mexico.
Without a doubt, their favorite place to go was Las Vegas, and, as many of us know, going to Vegas with Jesse and Lucy was always a fun-filled adventure.
They loved to dance. They shared a passion for Mariachi music.
One of Lucy’s joys was spending time with her grandchildren, and was thankfully able to meet two great-grandchildren, also named Jesse and Lucy DeLaTorre.
Lucy’s family would like to express a most heart-felt gratitude to Lucy’s incredible caretakers: Heidi Braman,
Jesse Martinez, Araceli Estrada, Veronica Estrada, and a dear family friend, Kristina Henderson.
They showed such a respectful kindness and gentleness while working with Lucy.
She said on many occasions that she felt “lucky” and “pampered” by these wonderful women.
If anyone deserved to be pampered it was Lucy.
Though we are heart-broken, we know that she is with the Lord in Heaven, dancing with Jesse, reunited with her mom, her beloved sisters, her brothers, cousins and friends.
Maybe they are listening to a celestial mariachi band. Maybe she is cruising the Heavenly highways in a convertible with her little dog at her side, butterflies and flowers everywhere.
She is survived by her four children and her son-in-laws, Geline and Zac Crouse of Alamo, Edward John DeLa Torre of Encinitas, Gloria and Ed Caspers of Long Beach, and Mark DeLaTorre of Encinitas.
Lucy is survived by her dear sister Angie Renteria and her brother-in-law Frank Renteria of Solana Beach.
She is also survived by her seven grandchildren, Edward G. DeLaTorre, Jordan DeLaTorre, Alicia Maes, Briana Cañas, Jacob Caspers, Ethan Caspers, and Devin DeLaTorre.
She is survived by two great grandchildren, Jesse and Lucy.
We would like to thank everyone for the kind words, thoughts and prayers.
Any donations in her name should go to St. John’s the Evangelist Church where Jesse and Lucy were long time parishioners.
Lucy’s Rosary will be at 4pm at the El Camino Mortuary on April 6th. Her Mass is on April 7th at 11am at St. John’s the Evangelist Church in Encinitas.
