Claudia De La Paz Hernandez

Good evening, everyone. My heart aches as we celebrate the life of my beloved wife, Claudia De La Paz Hernandez. For 33 years, she filled our lives with love, joy, laughter, and a contagious love for music and dancing. Claudia, born on January 24, 1970, is now reunited with her parents, Felipe Andrade, and Maria Guadalupe DiazBarriga, and her brothers Felipe and Fernando. Her spirit lives on in her loving sisters, Hilda, Vivi, Clara, Maria, and Carmen, as well as in me and our three children, Braulio, Chelsea, Amy, and all our extended family.
It was back in 9th grade when I first saw Claudia in the school hallway. This beautiful girl, radiating happiness, instantly stole a piece of my heart. Though I was friend-zoned for four years, fate intervened one rainy July day in 1998. The phone rang, and to my surprise, it was Claudia needing a ride home from work. That lucky day marked the beginning of our incredible journey together.
Claudia's happiness bloomed brightest when surrounded by loved ones. Family gatherings and social events were her stage. She'd dance like nobody was watching, embodying the spirit of the quote, "Dance like nobody's watching." Whether it was a slow ballad or a lively cumbia, music was her invitation to celebrate life.

Beyond spending time with loved ones, Claudia had other ways to unwind and relax. She loved curling up with a good movie, even though she would sleep for half the movie. Some of her favorites included, Love Affair and Life is beautiful.
It was easy for me to love Claudia; her beautiful spirit always outshined any difficult challenge life had for us.     
Even when faced with the challenge of her cancer diagnosis, Claudia held onto that passion for life. Her strength reminded me of a young girl who bravely said, "You can't wait until life isn't hard anymore before you decide to be happy."
One of Claudia’s wishes was that her memory be one of happiness, I hope that when you think of her, you remember her dancing, drinking a shot of tequila with her, doing crafts, or just talking about life.
 
Life will never be the same without my wife, our faith tells us that we will see each other again and I hope we will continue dancing in that special place our father has prepared for us called heaven. Rest In peace my love.  

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