Teresa G. Cerna, 91, passed away on Monday, April 6, 2026, in Grass Valley, California. Teresa was born on September 30, 1934 in Superior, Arizona. In 1945, the Gonzales family moved to Florence, Arizona. Teresa attend Florence High School. In 1950, the Gonzales family moved from Arizona to San Jose, California and Teresa attended James Lick High School where she graduated in 1953.

Teresa’s hobbies were playing baseball and basketball in high school. She loved to travel with her family and enjoyed camping trips. She loved to draw and write poetry. Her favorite insect was the ladybug.

Teresa met her husband John Cerna at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk; they were soon married in 1957 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in San Jose, California. Teresa and John started their family in Spreckels, California. Teresa enjoyed being a homemaker and enjoyed being involved with her kids playing baseball. She volunteered with Girl Scouts, Spreckels Elementary School and Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church. Teresa and John shared 56 years of marriage before John passed in 2013.

Teresa in November 2024 was diagnosed with salivary gland cancer. She lived her final year in Grass Valley on a farm with goats, donkeys, chickens, dogs and cat. She loved drawing all the farm animals and writing her poetry.

Teresa is survived by Sister Gloria Gonzales of Atwater, California. Daughters: Marguerite (Cerna) Gutierrez and husband Richard with grandkids, great-grandkids and great-great grandkids of Brentwood, California, Christina Cerna with grandkids and great-grandkids of Salinas, California, Angela (Cerna) Alberti and husband Sal of Grass Valley, California, Sons Martin Cerna and wife Shannon and with grandkids and great-grandkids of Hayward, California and David Cerna and with grandchild of Huntington Beach, California. Their daughter Felicia (Cerna) Holguin passed in 2020.

Services will be held on Thursday, May 21, 2026, starting with a Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church at 15 Railroad Avenue, Spreckels at 11:00 a.m. Final resting will take place at 12:30 p.m. at Garden of Memories at 850 Abbott St, Salinas, followed by a celebration of life at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Spreckels. Instead of flowers the family set up a fundraiser with St. Jude’s to honor her memory. If you would like to donate please contact Angela at motocat1966@yahoo.com