Sunday Delores Rubio Coronado (Dominga), 85, passed peacefully in her home in Portland Oregon on August 12, 2024, with her loving husband by her side.
Sunday was born August 16, 1939, the third of five children born to Guadelupe and Graciela Rubio (Grace) in Sanger, California. The daughter of a grape vineyard supervisor, as a schoolgirl Sunday helped support the family by working weekends and evenings at a fruit packing company in Sanger. These were fun times for Sunday and her fellow packers, even a young man who would become her future husband of 64 years, (and best friend of Sunday’s brother in high school), was always there waiting for Sunday to finish her shift.
That young man, Ray Coronado, would wait in the park across the street in his cool cruiser car for Sunday to finish work so they could have a night on the town, except that as excited as Sunday was to be free, Sunday often fell asleep on dates with him because she worked so hard. Ray, the budding entrepreneur, vowed then to marry Sunday and give her a better life, which he did with bells and whistles to boot. They married at age 21 and left Sanger for the city lights and opportunities of the San Francisco Bay area. By age 26 they had three children and their first home. Story has it that Sunday would cry to her husband that she so wanted to have a baby, and so they did. Sunday was a devoted mother to her three children, Cynthia, Ray III, and Rodney.
Sunday attended Sanger High School where she enjoyed many friendships and milestones. Sunday’s help to support her birth family meant that Sunday’s formal education was cut short. Despite this fact, Sunday was self-educated through her love of reading books. As a stay-at-home Mom, Sunday spent endless hours with her three children at neighborhood libraries, where Sunday studied everything about creating a home, and family, and hosting elaborate dinner parties, and also hosting her fair share of the most swinging cocktail parties. Later, as Ray moved up in the business world, Sunday never had her book of etiquette very far – Sunday insisted on doing things right!
Willow Glen, Almaden Valley, Blossom Hill, Morgan Hill, and Gilroy were the step stones for Sunday and Ray. This new young power-couple ultimately owned, managed and labored over their successful structural steel business in the south bay area for decades, providing them the opportunity to custom build their own dream home with park-style landscape for more parties and family gatherings.
As time went on and grandchildren were born, Sunday and Ray retired and sold the business and home, and relocated to Portland, Oregon. They lived for a year in Tiburon near San Francisco, just to have a bit of fun!
Once in Portland, Sunday’s creative talents were at work again, shaping another beautiful home and flower-filled tranquil garden good enough for any magazine.
Sunday and Ray’s new home provided a space to carry on Sunday’s tradition of hosting endless guests, friends, family, friends of friends, new faces. Sunday always opened her homes to others, serving lively meals and nurturing friendships old and new.
Sunday and Ray purchased a second, part-time residence near their daughter and grandson Jules. Here it was that Sunday and Ray were able to bond deeply with Jules and the three of them had wonderful times together in their little cabin by the river. They maintained the cabin all the way until Jules graduated from high school. After graduating from college, Jules was able to live a year with Sunday and Ray in Portland before he left to work abroad. These were precious times for the three of them, as well as Jules’ Uncle Ray who lived nearby at the time and was able to join them often.
Sunday loved creating “home” and she was most definitely of the “shop ‘til you drop” generation. Everything Sunday touched, her garden, her home, her style, her food, all were completed with passion and care and a touch of class, and Sunday’s children felt this most. Sunday wholeheartedly embraced motherhood and fulfilled this role until her last breath.
Sunday enjoyed her life in and after Sanger. Sunday accomplished much through the years, had a lot of fun on the way, and still at her side during her last moments here on earth, was Sunday’s first love, Ray. Together through hard work, together they built a little empire for their family.
Sunday was preceded in death by brothers Guadelupe and Paul, and her sister Cruz. She is survived by husband Ray, children Cynthia, Ray, and Rodney, grandchildren Reyes, Travis, Jules, and Anheles, great grandson Reyes, sister Natividad, and many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins. Sunday brought smiles into every room she walked into, and leaves behind a broad circle of friends far and wide.
A Celebration of Sunday’s life was held on August 24, 2024 at McLoughlin Promenade overlooking Willamette Falls in Oregon City, Oregon. Stories, reflections, and messages can be shared with the family at www.SundayCoronado.com.
“You’ve come a long way, baby”
We will miss you sorely Mom, you did us good.
