Isabel C. Zarate
Isabel Zarate Obituary
Obituary
Isabel Cristina Zarate
December 15, 1936 – December 5, 2022
Isabel Cristina Zarate (“Mabel”), loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed
away on December 5, 2022, in loving care at her home in Santa Ana, CA, after a long battle with
Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.
Isabel was born on December 15, 1936, in Banes, Cuba, the youngest of ten children (nine girls
and one boy). In her nearly 86 years, she lived a meaningful life full of love, family, and
devotion, touching the lives of all who knew her.
Isabel moved to the United States in 1955, eventually joining a sister who had immigrated to
Detroit, Michigan. She later moved with her sister and family to Naval Air Station Whidbey
Island in Washington state, where Isabel met and later married Dr. Alfredo Zarate on January
17, 1959. At the time, Dr. Zarate was a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, serving as a
medical surgeon.
In 1960, Isabel and Alfredo moved to Chicago and started a family, later moving to Southern
California in 1961. In Santa Ana, she helped build a family and community.
Isabel was a loving mother of four children (Alfredo, Jr.; Marisa; Alberto (“Abi”); and Juan). All
four children attended St. Jeanne de Lestonnac School in Tustin, CA, and Mater Dei High School
in Santa Ana, CA. She was a committed and beloved member of both school communities,
often leading fundraisers, hosting school events, and supporting families, faculty, and staff. She
was a devoted Catholic parishioner in Orange County – often attending services and supporting
the communities at St. Cecilia’s, Holy Family Cathedral, Saints Simon and Jude, and St. Joseph’s
Catholic Church.
Isabel was a devoted wife for nearly 64 years and supported her husband’s work. She helped
him run family businesses and build a thriving medical practice, where she eventually served as
the business manager. She was always a warm and welcoming presence to patients, nurses,
and doctors, creating a sense of family for anyone in need of care.
Isabel created a home that was a warm, joyful retreat for family and friends, often filled with
abundant hugs and kisses, wonderful smells of Cuban and Mexican food (aided by longtime
friend, Olga Gonzalez (“Nana”)), and the sounds of music and laughter. She was a second
mother and grandmother to many and reveled in reuniting with family and friends.
Throughout her life, Isabel was a fierce American patriot, who loved the United States and
encouraged her children to serve the country. She believed in the American Dream and lived
and created it with her husband and family.
She was an aficionado of European royalty and history and enjoyed traveling and vacationing
around the world. Isabel most enjoyed traveling to visit her children and grandchildren and
vacationing in Hawaii. One of her last trips with her family was to Seattle and Whidbey Island
to revisit where she and her husband had first met.
Though she suffered from various illnesses for many years, Isabel was cared for with great
affection and dignity by her husband Dr. Zarate; her son Alfredo, Jr.; and an angelic corps of
nurses, doctors, and therapists. She was never alone and always adored by her family.
Isabel is survived by her husband of 63 years, three of her children, two sisters (Margarita and
Ondina), and six grandchildren (Nicole, Alenna, Peyton, Aiden, Johannes, and Bella). She left a
legacy of love and respect with her family, friends, and work.
A private Rosary will be held on Wednesday, December 21, 2022. The Funeral Mass will be
celebrated on Thursday, December 22, 2022, at 10am PST at Holy Family Cathedral in Orange,
CA, to be followed by internment at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in honor of Isabel Zarate to the Sisters of the Company of Mary’s educational mission.
Please write checks to the “Sisters of the Company of Mary” and reference “Isabel Zarate
Legacy Fund.” Please send donations to the Sisters’ Regional Offices at 16791 Main Street,
Tustin, CA 92780.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Isabel C. Zarate, please visit our floral store.