The family of a woman who died in a Santa Maria vehicle fire has started a fundraiser to help with funeral costs as they deal with their second tragedy in less than three years.
Sherree Dominguez, 44, died Feb. 20 while in a vehicle that filled with smoke after a fire ignited inside the minivan on the 300 block of West Orange Street in Santa Maria.
Investigators suspect a heating device with an open flame ignited the fire inside the vehicle with the windows closed.
Dominguez’s 65-year-old father, Gregorio “Greg” Dominguez, died in an early morning vehicle crash on Christmas Day 2023 on West Main Street between Santa Maria and Guadalupe.
The family, including Sherree Dominguez, spoke about their loss due to the crash caused by a drunken driver.
Sherree Dominguez is survived by her children, Elena De La Paz, Analicia De La Paz, Sebastian De La Paz, Aurora Guerrero and Kalian Rojas, as well as her granddaughter, Ellyana Zavala.
The family remembered the mother of five in a GoFundMe page, “Celebrating Sherree’s Life and Legacy,” which had raised more than $8,000 as of Friday afternoon.
Analicia De La Paz, who posted the GoFundMe, said on the page that her mother was “a woman of immense kindness and loyalty, possessing a beauty that radiated from within and touched everyone she met.”
“Despite the many challenges life placed in her path, Mom’s resilience was unwavering; she worked tirelessly to build a beautiful, nurturing life for her children,” De La Paz wrote.
“Whether she was out in public, where she seemed to know everyone’s name and always took the time to catch up with friends and strangers alike, or on the softball field — a passion she carried from childhood into her adult years — her vibrant spirit always shone through,” she added.
She said Dominguez found joy in coaching her daughters and “being our loudest, most dedicated cheerleader at every single one of our games.”
Her children said Dominguez leaves behind a legacy of strength and affection.
“We are heartbroken by her loss, but we are so grateful for the incredible life she built for us.”