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Lucia Lopez Bustamante, 77, passed away peacefully in her home during the early morning of April 14, 2022. Lucia was the first of three children born on December 13, 1944 to Nieves Ruiz Lopez and Jesus Lopez in Asherton, Texas. Lucia’s mother placed her children’s education of highest importance and when her parents migrated to work in different states Lucia was kept home with her aunts in order to ensure that she did not miss any school. In 1955 Lucia moved to St Paul, Oregon with her family, where she graduated from high school in 1964. On September 7, 1964 she married Enrique Bustamante, and in 1965 they welcomed the first of four children. In January 1969 they purchased their first home, the little yellow house on Douglas Street in Gervais where they lived there until 1978, and then moved to the big white house on Checkerboard Rd., also in Gervais. Lucia remained in this home until she sold it in 2015 and moved to Salem to live with her daughter Tammy and her family. Lucia had many accomplished skills from cake decorating, to sewing, ceramics, and macrame, and in her retirement years she loved going to the casinos, shopping at Macy’s, Kohl’s and Target and greatly enjoyed doing her puzzle games, coloring games, and bible readings on her phone, computer, and tablet. During her early married years Lucia sold Avon and then later sold Home Interiors for many years. In 1980 she enrolled at Chemeketa Community College and graduated 2 years later with an accounting certificate. Lucia worked many different jobs during her lifespan, beginning with working in the fields during the summer months prior to graduating high school, and while married she was a restaurant owner, a teacher’s aide, and an accounting clerk for Don Pancho’s. Her longest career was working as an accounting clerk for the Oregon Lottery from it’s opening in 1985 until 2004 when she took early retirement to be a caregiver for her parents. Following her parent’s passing she returned to working outside of the home as a retail clerk at a variety of stores at the Woodburn Outlet Mall, a caregiver, helped her sister operate a restaurant in Mt Angel, Or., and as a teacher’s aide for special needs children. Lucia is survived by her sister, Ernestina, her four children, Henry Jr. (Suzanne), Tammy (Bill), Hector (Danni) and Cristina as well as 11 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, and a number of cousins, nieces, and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Raymundo, and her granddaughter, Alejandrea. Lucia was our guiding light, our angel, our everything, she will be greatly missed by all of us. A rosary will be held on April 19, 2022 @ 6 pm @ Cornwell Funeral Home and her funeral is planned for April 20, 2022 at 11 am at St Paul Catholic Church, with a reception following (place to be determined).

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Lucia Lopez Bustamonte

December 13, 1944 - April 14, 2022