Obituary of Lisa AnnMarie Doherty

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the unexpected loss of Lisa AnnMarie Doherty on the morning of Thursday December 28th. Lisa was born on June 24, 1985 in Escondido, CA to Laura and James Doherty. She was raised by her mother in Santa Cruz, CA and called the Westside her home. She enjoyed the nature and beaches of the area and was adamant on staying local up until her passing. In 1989, they welcomed a baby sister, Heather Little, to the family. Lisa loved being a big sister and the pair shared an unbreakable bond that remains to this day. Lisa attended Natural Bridges Elementary, Mission Hill Junior High and then Santa Cruz High. In 2000 Lisa found her love for cheer-leading and participated in the sport until 2003, when she graduated. After high school Lisa continued her education at Monterey Peninsula College, while simultaneously coaching and mentoring for Riptide's competitive cheer-leading team and Fitch Middle School; both in Seaside, CA. During the two years Lisa was a coach, she shared many road competitions, her favorite being in Disneyland, and even won a few trophies. Lisa grew close those she met through the cheer-leading community and remained in-touch with them long after she stopped coaching. During the next stage of her life, Lisa settled down in Watsonville, CA and held various local jobs. This is where she made many of her friends and was known for her humor, loving heart and smile. Just like in cheer-leading, many of her former co-workers became like family; we know she will be truly missed by them all. December of 2008 was bittersweet for Lisa. Her life was forever changed on the 4th when her and her boyfriend, Alex Zarazua, were blessed with the birth of their son Charlie Zarazua; who is named after Lisa's grandfather. The experience of becoming a mother was something Lisa treasured; her love for Charlie was limitless. Just 10 days later, the happiness was cut by the loss of her grandmother, Marie Hill, known affectionately as "Nana". The two were very close and it was a very difficult transition period in her life. December became a time of both profound joy and sorrow; the experience followed Lisa until her death. In 2014 Lisa met her current boyfriend Jose "Tito" Jimenez. Their relationship soon became serious and he established his place in their Ohana. Their little family was a source of pride and joy for Lisa; this is what she cherished above all else. Recently, her immediate family grew when she connected with a half-sister, Mariann Doherty, from her father James' side. Then again with the birth of her first niece, Savannah Torres, in 2017 from her sister Heather Little. The rare moments that were shared by both cousins and sisters together will forever be treasured. The past few years have been filled with a lot of love and memories for both Lisa's family and personal friendships. We are devastated and heartbroken over this loss. Lisa was predeceased by her grandmother Marie Hill. She is survived by her son Charlie Zarazua and boyfriend Jose "Tito" Jimenez. She is also survived by mother and stepfather, Laura and Omar Serna, father James Doherty, siblings Heather Little and Mariann Doherty and grandfather Charles Hill. The family would like to thank everyone for their stories, condolences and support. The warmth has been felt during such a difficult time. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Lisa's GoFundMe (https://www.gofundme.com/nxfzkn-rest-peacefully-lisa) to help with funeral expenses.