Christine Mansanarez

Christine Mansanarez was born on February 6, 1964 in Denver Colorado to Eli and Theresa Sierra. She was the second of 5 children. She lived in Lakewood, Co and lived there until her passing on January 15, 2022 when she went to be with Jesus. She had a profound effect on every person she met and she was treasured beyond measure.

To provide a better understanding of who Christine was, I'd like to provide a memoir to look back on her life...
She was clothed in strength and dignity.. She was a lover of her heavenly Father through his son Jesus Christ. She was a woman that had many titles. She was Dad's Hun and his Babe, she was Momma, her name was Grammy to my children; her and dad's beloved grandbabies. She was Hija, Sis, Hita, Auntie Christine, and cousin.

My mom had a gift with children. She commanded authority, yet attained the positive attention of young children and was very atuned to what they needed. Starting from childhood, she helped with the toddlers at church. She became a mother at 27 years old, and she was a beautiful and loving mother. She adored her nieces and nephews, being an auntie was a joy for her. She always had toys, books, playhouses and dress up dresses for all the children in her life. She gladly sat on the floor and knew how to speak to them, to calm them, and to be present with them. At age 49, my mom was able to hold her first grandbaby Richie and soon to follow was Samara. She loved to lavish her babies with extravagant quantities of love, devotion and care. They were her pride and joy. She called Richie her Honey Bee and Rara was her Baby Cakes.

My mom grew up as a feisty and sweet, loving and strong girl. She liked a good fight. She loved to love, and play. She always wanted to dig her heels in...as a child if she didn't get her way, she would hold her breath until she passed out! Her parents stood their ground... but so did she. Though she was stubborn at times, my mom was delicate and was also loving and swelled with compassion. At a very young age, she and her older sister Donna unexpectedly lost their baby brother Edward to spinal meningitis. Overrun with grief herself, even while being so young, her daddy was sitting in tears. She came to him and in hopes of comforting him she said softly, "Daddy, you still have me." Her words gave Eli a twinkle peace. She was an ultimate protector and comforter of everyone she stood beside. Mom had overflowing love. On a particular day, Donna, came inside the house after a mean girl made her cry. My mom was only 4 years old, but she wasn't going to let anyone bully her sister. After being well rested from a nap, she hopped on her trike, rode to the corner, and hit little girl and made her cry and said with her pointer finger in her face, "Never pick on my sister again!" That was my mom. As a child, and as a woman; she was a defender.

As a teen she helped take care of her brothers with her sister while her parents worked hard to put food in their bellies and provide a warm home and clothing. She came from hard work. Mom had a lot of respect for her parents for all that they did. They worked tirelessly to give all their children enough.
Christine was around seventeen years old when she took the bus in heels and her classy clothes to go to work at the National Parks Service as a clerk typist. At age nineteen, Eric asked her on a date. Her response was, "Sure" with a smile. He was six years older. He took her to The Old Country, an italian restaurant in Lakewood. It didn't take long for my dad to know that he wanted to make her his wife. He purposed, and when mom was twenty, they had their beautiful wedding. After living in Aurora in their starter condo, they were thrilled to build their first house in Green Mountain in 1986. After two years, dad's job transferred them to Dallas. In 1991 mom gave birth to me and then welcomed Devin 19 months later. She was such a wonderful nurturer and enjoyed being home taking care of us. My mom throughout my life held onto the cherished memories there. In a delicate voice she always called living in Dallas "a very sweet little life." In early 1995, they moved back to Colorado. It blessed my mom to be nearby her and dad's family.

During life raising kids, she also spent a lot of years working and being a professional at whatever job she had. She was an in-home child care provider, she was a seminar monitor, where she would travel for work. She also worked as a billing and coding professional. She worked hard in the office. She kept her circle small, and never stumbled into drama in the workplace. She maintained elegance, but didn't let anyone push her around.

In later years mom spent many sleepless nights and tired days in prayer. Seeking the Lord fervently in turbulent times, she truly laid us into the hands of the Lord when the stroms got so severe life was impossible to navigate on her own. He was her lighthouse in the darkest, roughest waters. She stayed true to Him, and never was quiet with God when things seemed to be falling apart especially with Devin and me as we got older.

The Lord did restore all the years the locusts ate. There was an abundance of blessings from all the years of mom's prayers. In faith and love, my mom always fought for us. At the time she outwardly appeared to be sitting quietly, but she was going to war for us inwardly all the while.

Mom had a blast getting in the car and going up to the mountains with Dad.. one of her most loved Colorado roadtrips was Horseshoe Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park. On her car rides she could spot wildlife from anywhere. Just the word wildlife makes me think of mom saying, "Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife!"

Every winter, after spoiling her grandbabies on Christmas, mom would so look forward to summertime and clear skies to enjoy retirement on their boat. She loved to see her family jump in the water and have laughs and splashes in the lake. She often asked family to free up a few days to go on a spontaneous camping trip or go out on the water. No matter how busy they were caring for Nana, she always made time for other things too that mattered to her like being with her kids and grandbabies or siblings that would fly into town.

Though not many people knew it, in recent she loved to go to Chatfield Reservoir to paint. she would paint nature, trees, cabins, homes, and she loved lighthouses and oceans. Her paintings were sweet and pure. They capture simple beauty of life. She gave many praises daily to the Lord for all things beautiful around her.

She was so proud of Devin. Mom's prayers moved mountains for him. She was so interested in everything he had to say. All the stories from the military. She lived to watch him retire from the Army. One of her favorite things to do with Devin were long talks on the phone and during time together, she loved to hear his guitar playing and listen to him sing. Most recently she was so proud of her son and would eagerly watch him in the worship team at his church and forward the link to everyone.
Mom sewed. She taught her Honey Bee and Baby Cakes to sew and they made clothes for teddy bears and purses out of left over denim from hemming her Rara's pants shorter. She was good at leaving her touch everywhere. Everything she touched she made it lovely. She'd give gifts with cheerfulness. Her home was full of her style, her unique creativity. She kept a nice clean home full of things that she treasured.

Everyone close to mom would recall that she used to clean the house with high heels on. My mom was very perfect at things she did. She liked to keep herself manicured as well. She was not into paying to get any services done and enjoyed doing her self care at home. My mother had neat nails, never chipped or unpolished, her toe nails were always painted red, makeup was always done and her hair was always curled.. it took a long time before she would go in to even get her hair professionally colored.. but she deserved to be pampered. She took care of herself and all things she owned. She liked to smell fabulous at all times. She appreciated cute clothes and shoes and liked talking about the latest fashion trends.

Most of all, she loved the Lord. My mom counted on him with child like faith. Mom didn't rely on her own works, but on his grace and His sacrifice for her on the cross at Calvary.

After 10 days of my mom feeling unwell off and on, she finally knew she needed help. All of us were hit with coronavirus at once. On December 29th, 2021 my mom was admitted into the hospital. In a desperate effort to get better, she was sedated and placed on a ventilator but her body was very sick. Her lungs were poor, and she didn't come out of the hospital or recover here on earth; however I know that my mother is in Heaven enjoying her glorified body living life that is more real than this one. My mom prayed for me over the phone while she was in the hospital. That was our last time speaking...was a prayer. She trusted in God. I know He is worthy to be trusted. She is in His care.
I miss her. There are no words that can truly capture the broken heart I have that she can't speak to me ever again. No more hugs and no more hearing her voice, her laugh. Her food she joyfully cooked for us is a memory. She left a huge hole. Yet I do know that we all will see her again if we just "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." Acts 16:31

Can you accept the Lord Jesus into your life and let Him be the ruler of your heart? Can you believe that He was God that came to earth in flesh to minister to mankind? He healed the hurting, raised the dead, made the blind men see. He can change your thoughts and your desires and He can place a new heart in you to desire righteousness and things that are pure, lovely, and holy. All you have to do is submit to Him and admit you're a sinner in need of a Savior. Trust Him like you trust in a parachute; don't flap your arms jumping out of an airplane and expect to save yourself. It won't work. Trust the parachute. Ask Him to change you from the inside out and turn away from your sin and and when you fall go to Him like you would a good father and ask for His help and His forgiveness and He shall surely do it.

"You will meet Him and see my mom Christine again one day "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you will be saved." Romans 10:9

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18

Christine is survived by her loving husband, Eric Mansanarez, her daughter, Sierra and husband Richard Patterson, and son Devin. Survived by also are her grandchildren, Richie, and Samara Patterson. She is survived also by her parents: Eli and Theresa Sierra, and siblings: Dr. Reverend Donna, Eli, and Alfred. She was preceded in death by her little brother, Edward. Christine devoted the last years of her life caring for her mother in law, Flora Mansanarez who she is also survived by.
Here are just a few words of love about my mom and the way she made everyone feel.

"The Lord knows that Christine was beyond what I deserved." --Eric Mansanarez

"She was my confidant, my counselor, and as time wore on, she became my friend; but first, she was my mama." Devin Mansanarez

"My mom knew how to be an amazing mother and an amazing Grammy. She left a mark on my children forever. They had her for such a short time, but she made up for it. She left behind the unimportant things and held onto Jesus, thankfulness for life, and love. She never withheld forgiveness from us and was always quick to say, "Let's start over." I miss you mommy. I'll always think of you everyday...until I see you again in Heaven. I can't wait...beautiful mommy."--Sierra Patterson

"My irish twin, my sister, my best friend. She always fought for me, stood by me, and supported me." --Donna Sierra

"Auntie Christine was the most fun, caring, sweet, generous, and loving auntie anyone would be lucky to have. I always had a good time whenever I was with her. She showed me love during some of the hardest times in my life and I will always be grateful for her. I love her and I always will. "—Michaela Sanders

"Everything Christine did was out of love. She was the heart of the family and made us all feel welcome and loved. She gave of herself generously"—Leanne Sierra

"Even though I was bigger than her since I was 12, she was always my big sister. She was concerned about me and later my family. Out of all for our siblings she was the one that would reach out to the others not for business be rather relationship." –Eli Sierra,

"She was one of the most kindest and loving person. She always had kind and comforting words for me in my time of need." --Jeff Brown

"Auntie was a very influential woman in my life. She exemplified generosity, unconditional love, and a true zest for life. I love her dearly, and will hold each memory with her close to my heart."--Alyssa Sierra