Mario Casarez passed away November 15, 2013, after a lengthy illness.
He has joined his parents, Mauro Padilla Casarez and Carmen Lopez Casarez, as well as his sisters, Carmen “Mona” Casarez and Rosalinda Casarez Gonzales.
Mario was born January 9, 1956, in Santa Barbara. He attended local schools including Santa Barbara City College, worked for Fazios Grocery store, London’s Furniture, was the owner of a strawberry farm in Santa Maria in the late 1980s and was a self-taught photographer. His photography work was found up and down the coast on postcards and in many aspiring models’ portfolios but, more important, he gave us the last photos of our Mom, amazing pictures of his nieces and nephews and memorable family reunion pictures.
Mario will be remembered as a dedicated San Francisco 49ers and Giants fan, as well as his vast knowledge of sports history that was second to none. He was compassionate and helpful by always keeping a door open to help family and friends, spending hours teaching his nieces and nephews everything he could, attending many of their events and taking them to places such as movies or Golf & Stuff. Most important, he kept our family together after our Mom passed.
Mario will be greatly missed by his siblings, Alfredo (Elsa) and Luis Lopez, Jana (Jesse) Garcia of Santa Barbara; Gloria Cardenas, Esmeralda Dominguez, Jessie, Mauro Jr. and Ruby Casarez of Oxnard; and Anna Fabiola Barragan of Pasco, Washington; and 18 nieces and nephews, one great-nephew, aunts, uncles, numerous cousins and countless friends.
A Rosary will be held at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, 21 E. Sola St., at 7:30 p.m. Monday, December 2, and a Mass at 10 a.m. Tuesday, December 3.