Rosalie Salutan Marquez

Rosalie Marquez Bio

My name is Rosalie Salutan Marquez, born on February 10, 1945 in Santa Maria, California and raised in Guadalupe, California on a vegetable farm. I was only 19 years old when I married my first husband and had a daughter, Michelle Hope Deparini-Neiman born in 1966 and were divorced after 7 years of marriage. I have been married to my present husband, William (Bill) A. Marquez for 24 years and have 2 stepsons, Andy and his wife Zeny Marquez. Richard Marquez and his wife Kaaren and two grandchildren, Jack 13 years old and Casey 11 years old. Bill retired from the police department after 28 years.

My elementary education was in Guadalupe, CA where I was associated with the Maryknoll nuns and was in girl scouts until my 2nd year in high school. My high school education was in Santa Maria,CA 9 miles east of my home. I had to walk a quarter of a mile to the main road to ride the bus. In high school, I received two scholarships to attend San Jose School of Nursing. I never fulfilled my desire because my parents did not allow me to attend school out of town. I received my Associate Arts degree from Allan Hancock College and attended Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.

My parents are Santiago Migue Salutan and Mary Olvera Salutan. There were six siblings, myself, Romauldo (Paul) deceased 5/3/90, Santiago Jr. (Jimmy), Edward (Eddie), Susan, and Victor. My father was born in Tubigon, Bohol on July 25, 1906 (officially). My mother was born in Monolith, California on September 16, 1915.

My father left his homeland and adventured to Hawaii to work on the pineapple plantation in 1926. He traveled to America in July 1929 to San Pedro. He then traveled to Lompoc, California where he heard farm work was plentiful. My father then met my mother and they were married in 1935. Theyhad to travel to Yuma, Arizona to marry because interracial marriage was not allowed in California. My parents experienced prejudices and discrimination, which they did not share with us.

This information was important for us to understand why they lived very secluded. My mother was disowned by some of her family members so we never socialized with any of our relatives. My father was the only one in his family that immigrated to the United States. Currently, I instill into my family and the younger generations that we are the only family members here and everyone else are in the Philippine Islands so it is important for us to have a close relationship with each other.

I remember when I was growing up listening to my father and his friends, Gonzalo Vina and Vincent Manguray speaking Visayan-making stories. I could hear their loud voices and laughter. I never knew what they were saying because we never learned to speak Visayan nor Spanish fluently. We used to help my Dad care for his fighting roosters. Feeding them, practice fighting them by placing miniature boxing gloves on their legs, and give special feeds or medication. When Sunday comes, we head for sabong (cock fights) with Dad and Mom. I did not like watching a rooster getting killed. What I enjoyed was eating the food and sweets like biko, fried banana, biso biso, binangkal, etc.

We lived very poorly. The house did not have insulation so it was very cold during winter. Dad installed a kerosene heater. When he light the pilot, the fumes used to intoxicate us and I did not like the smell. I also did not care for our bathing room because it was located outside in a shack where a galvanized tub is filled with water. The water in the tub is heated by firewood. We never went inside the tub, we just scooped the water to bathe. This was very uncomfortable during the winter climate.

The one thing that really stands out in my memory was the happy gatherings. My parents used to like to party. We were always slaughtering pigs making lechon and adobo. We used to have parties that lasted for three days. I just don't know how my parents survived all those celebrations. At some of the parties, my father would play his guitar and ukulele. When they were not partying, my parents were writing their favorite songs. They were always singing and dancing, this was their entertainment. Unfortunately, none of us children developed any of those talents.

My parents also enjoyed going with their friends to the beach along Highway 1 as far as San Simeon, California. Pots of rice and food were brought to the beach gatherings. My Dad and his friends would fish and hunt for abalone and mussels then cook them. We had feast at those beach parties gatherings. Another past time for my parents was going on Sunday drives and picnics. We would stop along the roadside where there was shade or travel to Morro Bay for our picnic eating rice and smoked albacore.

When I was 7 years old, my mother was admitted to the tuberculosis sanitarium for 14 months. These were sad time for us. The social worker wanted to take us away from my father but he fought to keep his family together. He worked hard to support and care for his family all those months. Every Sunday when he was not working, we travel to Santa Barbara to visit Mom and every week he would write her a letter assuring her of his love and updating her with the children's activities. I sure missed a lot of school in my earlier years helping at home.

I began my working experience in the farming fields at the age of eleven until I was eighteen years old. My siblings all worked in the fields until we all graduated from high school. We worked during weekends, summer vacations, and holidays. It was hard work. While I was attending junior college, I worked for the Dean of women who was also the women's physical education instructor. My responsibility was to keep track of all the women who enrolled at the college who will be taking physical education classes. This was first real job other than the fields.

For 31 years I worked for the court system as a court executor in charge of Santa Maria, Lompoc, and Solvang Courts. I retired in September 1996. I had enjoyed my job immensely. I remembered this was supposed to be a summer job before entering Cal Poly College to study physical education. I was thrilled with my new experience and I had the desire to learn every function and job position. I wanted to perfect my skills and escalate to highest level, which I had reached that goal and was successful without realizing I was the first Filipino/Mexican court executive in Santa Barbara County. I remember how my father consistently stressed that I concentrate in studying for a higher education reminding me how hard it was working in the fields. My mother also reminded me to "remember where I came from". I am proud of my roots. These are the same words I relay to my family.

Throughout my life I kept busy with different hobbies and interests. I participated in Polynesian dance troupe for 30 years. I love crafts especially creating Christmas wreaths every year. This time in my life I am taking private advanced hula lesson, tai chi, pencil drawing and watercolor painting classes at Allan Hancock College. I love botanical painting (flowers and plants). Some of my paintings were showcase in the college’s gallery.

My father had always advised me to keep interest in different things to keep the mind busy. I guess I took after him since he himself was self-taught. He took home study course in fingerprinting, typing (he bought himself a typewriter and instruction book), and a book on how to write letters especially love letters.

Since I retired from the Court after 10 years, I have been busy with community involvements as well as working part-time at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church as Business Manager for the last 5 years. I enjoy visiting my sister in Hawaii every two years or often, however, my husband also likes to visit his brother in Alaska to fish for salmon and halibut so we have two wonderful places to travel. My husband and I try to spend time at our condominium in Pismo Beach. We enjoy ourselves there just to Have a different environment, spend time at the beach, Bill likes to fish on the pier, and walk around the town of Pismo Beach. On July 31,1999, my daughter, Michelle and Patrick Nieman married at the San Luis Obispo Mission in San Luis Obispo. In addition, we have two grandchildren Mikayla (Feb. 2, 2003) and Cole ( Sept. 20, 2005) they live with their parents in Shell Beach, CA.

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