Remembering 100-year-old Barstow adventurer Elena Quesada, who skydived at age 90
Barstow resident Elena Barajas Quesada began a 40-year adventure at age 60 when she earned her degree. She then parasailed and took her first hot air balloon ride at age 70.
But Quesada wasn’t done.
At 90 years old, she traveled to Lake Perris with her granddaughter, Allyssa, where the two boarded a plane to go skydiving.
The 100-year-old Quesada took her final adventure this year when the centenarian breathed her last and went home to be with her husband, Jesus Jose Quesada II, who died in 2006, their family said.
Elena Quesada died peacefully in her sleep on July 18, about a month short of turning 101, her son, Rogelio Quesada said.
“I hope heaven was ready because they are going to have a handful with her,” Rogelio Quesada said. “She probably has everyone up and dancing, singing, telling stories, and getting everyone else in heaven to jump out of airplanes.”
While encountering the good and hard times on Earth, Elena addressed life as “vigorously as she could,” and always lived by the mantra “si quieres, puedes” which translates to “If you want, you can.”
Rogelio Quesada, a retired mechanic and rocket engineer, said he’s working to establish the Elena B. Quesada legacy scholarship, designed for Barstow Community College students.
The scholarship is designed for students to reflect on Elena’s “tenacity, strength, commitment to family and growth,” he said.
Born in Santa Ana
Elena Quesada was born on Aug. 28, 1922, to Carlos and Carlotta Estrada Barajas in the Orange County city of Santa Ana.
Her parents had come to the U.S. for work but would later move back to Fresnillo, Mexico while their children were small.
Growing up, Elena only attended school until the 2nd grade. She was also the oldest of 10 children, three who are still living.
Jesus and Elena Quesada were married in 1949 and immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico in 1950.
Planting roots in Barstow
After working in the produce fields of Riverside, the couple moved to the Barstow area, where Jesus got hired as an electrician in the Santa Fe diesel shop, his son said.
Jesus spent 30 years with Santa Fe, mostly working in the radio shop, which is now the Western America Railroad Museum located on the east side of the Harvey House Railroad Depot.
Jesus was known as the “Jesse the Radio Man,” being responsible for each train rumbling through the yard.
Elena lived in Hinckley. When she discovered that homestead property was available for purchase, the family moved to an area off Highway 58 and Fort Irwin Road.
Elena and her family later moved to a property on Barstow Road. The family would make their last move in Barstow when they hand-built a two-bedroom home on Windy Pass.
“The house eventually became 900 square feet and is still owned by the Quesada family,” Rogelio said. “Though everyone has moved on, I think we all maintain the connection to and consider ourselves residents of Barstow.”
Family
The couple had seven children, who were all raised locally and would graduate from Barstow or Kennedy high school.
Their children included Jesus R. Quesada III, Marie A. Quesada, Rene J. Quesada, who died in 1991. Also, Alicia M. Quesada, Rogelio J. Quesada, Athena E. Quesada and Angelina M. Quesada.
The couple enjoyed 17 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and nine great-great-grandchildren.
Spreading her wings
Elena’s “growth” in life began as her last two children were getting out of high school. She joined local clubs and started her first job at Naugles, her son said.
“She went on to work at Mervyn’s and was one of those sweet ladies who gave out samples at Costco,” Rogelio said. “She was only supposed to give out one sample but she would sneak out more to the little kids that came up to her.”
In 1981, Elena graduated from Barstow Community College with an associate’s degree in liberal arts.
When her kids graduated, she went to live with each of her daughters, and with their help, began traveling to places such as Mexico and Hawaii. One of her visits was a trip to Europe to attend a Papal Mass.
She lived for the opportunity to get together with family as they enjoyed Mexican food, mariachis, dancing, and singing, her son said.
“In her 90s, when she was having to use her wheelchair, she would wheel around dancing and literally running circles around the rest of us,” Rogelio said. “Her eyes would light up and her voice would gain excitement as we could see her catapult herself back to those days and relive the stories as she told them to us.”
While sharing stories, Elena would unknowingly go back and forth between Spanish and English, confusing her grandchildren.
Preparing to go home
“My Mom’s health was always good, but the years started to catch up to her,” Rogelio said. “She knew life was finite and had made a point of taking all her belongings, all the clippings she had of us, photos, notes and letter, and divvied them up amongst the kids”
After she began feeling tired in her 90s, she moved to San Bernardino, where she lived with and was cared for by her daughter, Athena.
Elena recently visited Northern California to spend time with her three daughters before she died.
The life of Elena Barajas Quesada was remembered on July 28 during service at Immaculate Conception Catholic in Colton. A burial service followed at nearby Hermosa Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Remembering 100-year-old Barstow adventurer Elena Quesada
