Isabelle Sandoval Campo

Isabelle Sandoval Campo, passed away quietly in her sleep on the morning of September 16, 2023, at her long time home in Canoga Park, Ca. She was 93 years old. Our Mother was born Isabel Sandoval Martin, at Highland Hospital in Oakland, Ca. on May 1, 1930 to Joseph and Isabel (Reina) Martin. DNA analysis shows that Isabelle’s ethnicity was predominately indigenous to the Americas and Mexico.

Isabelle lived with her mother and older brother, Jack, on Market St. in Oakland until she was approximately six or seven years old. At that time she and her brother were placed in foster care in the home of Jacob and Mary Cook. They were kind enough to take and welcome both of them to their farm and Danish home. There they went to school and helped out on the farm.

When Isabelle reached high school age, her uncle, Tony J. Reina, became her legal guardian. She attended Bakersfield High School and graduated in 1948, in the same graduating class as Frank Gifford (A fact that she enjoyed sharing with others). This was where she developed a love for sewing and crafts.

Isabelle lived with her first two children, a son, John, and a daughter, Judith, in Inglewood, Ca. during the 1950s, where she worked at Mattel Toys and Hughes Aircraft which was located across the street from a small Los Angeles Airport.

Isabelle had three more children, a son, Mark, and two daughters, Teresa and Catherine, respectively.

As a young mother, with school age children, Isabelle always walked them and other people’s children to and from 74th Street School. When the two elder children attended St. John Evangelist, Isabelle became a member of the school Mother’s Club and a Room Mother. She participated by helping with various activities from pancake breakfasts to Christmas Bazaars. For the Christmas Bazaar she made Christmas themed beaded and sequined napkin rings from felt and felt turtle and lion bean bags. Her most popular item was doll clothes made for Barbie sized dolls.

In August of 1966 Isabelle and family moved to a house in Westchester, Ca., a few streets north of the north runway of LAX. During the late 1960s, the opportunity arose to start what would become a continuing presence in our Mother’s life. Cats and dogs. Whether it was kittens being given away from a cardboard box in front of a supermarket, a newspaper ad looking for owners for puppies, shelter adoptions, or strays, Mom was never without plenty of 4-legged family members. Also, some kind, longtime family friends, helped Mom learn how to drive by paying for her driving lessons. After she had her license and had been driving for a while, she agreed to make the drive to Disneyland. There was only one hitch, we had to be extra eyes for her in getting on and off the freeway. We even took the dog with us as they had what was called the Kal-Kan Kennel for you to board your pet while you enjoyed the park. There were more trips like that throughout our time in Westchester over the years. She also saw her eldest son leave home for the Air Force.

In the summer of 1975, Mom then moved with four of her five children to a house in Canoga Park, California when LAX was taking over areas in Westchester where numerous families lived. Her brother was kind enough to help her get the house she spent the remaining 48 years of her life in. During that time Mom and Judith took on a part-time job delivering merchant ads (Zody’s, Handyman, Builders Emporium, etc.) door to door. On one of their delivery days, Judith found herself being asked several questions by a lady who happened to be home on her front porch at the time. It turned out she was head of personnel at the first insurance company where Mom worked. This led to what became 20 years of Mother and daughter working together full time work for various insurance companies. She then retired from working.

Mom also became involved in volunteer work. She was involved with the Warm Up America group at one of the churches she attended. This group made blankets for the homeless. She went from there to another charity. She found out about this charity in 2006 while at the ophthalmologist’s office for her appointment. There was a lady there working on a blanket. Mom asked her what she was working on and was told about Project Linus and was invited to come to one of their blanket days. The rest, of course, is history. She crocheted numerous blankets (over 200), some all yarn and some yarn around fleece, and made several quilts for them.

Mom and Judith also volunteered to help with a church environment group at another church she attended. This was done for 13 years.

Mom loved Disney and the parks. Her favorite ride was the Haunted Mansion and she also got to ride in the big golf ball at Epcot. Mostly, though, she enjoyed the ambience, the different seasons, and people watching at the parks. It was appropriate therefore, that Mom’s last big outing was going to Disneyland Resort on December 1, 2019, to see it all decorated for Christmas. She got to see Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and while waiting for Judith and her grandson Dillon to ride Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, she was approached by a stormtrooper, who told her to “Move along.”

Mom loved watching baseball, golf, and was a big fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels.

To many of Mom’s friends, she was known as Izzy.

Mom’s longtime dying wish had four boxes that needed to be checked. God was generously kind enough to check all four of those boxes for her. Her wish was to be in her own home, in her own room, in her own bed and leave this world in her sleep. She was granted that wish the morning of September 16, 2023.

Our Mom was a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She is survived by her five children John (Marie) Campo, Judith Campo, Mark Campo, Teresa Bronson and Catherine Campo. She also had five grandchildren Joanne (Paul) Burgess, Duane Campo, Dillon (Nicole) Campo, Elizabeth Bronson and Jacob (Katherine) Bronson and three great grandchildren Alexander, Christina and Anthony Burgess.

In lieu of flowers, a donation to an animal rescue organization such as Best Friends, North Shore Animal League, a local animal rescue or shelter near you or your local zoo.

If you prefer to donate to an organization for humans rather than animals, then that organization would be Project Linus, Burbank/Glendale/San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys/Los Angeles, CA Chapter. You can do this by visiting ProjectLinus.org where you can specify this chapter when making your donation.