Maritza Rothlein

On February 26th at 7:12am, Jesus welcomed with open arms the beloved Maritza Fatima Rothlein into heaven, after her courageous and lengthy battle against Stage 4 Cancer. Martiza was 59 years old. She was loved by all, and loved everyone. Maritza demonstrated life-long values of Christianity, flawless ethics, strength, determination and pride in all she did. Add in her incredible beauty, a lively sense of humor, keen intelligence, incredible Latin dancing, cooking and singing talents along with an unprecedented ability to organize the unorganizable, a talent she called accommodation, made her one amazing woman. She became a wonderful mom, wife and close friends to so many she met.

Maritza was born to Matilde Rubio and Alicia Calderon Hernandez on May 12th, 1964 in El Salvador. In 1985 she moved to Los Angeles, California, joining her family who had arrived earlier before she settled in Fullerton. She gave birth to her daughter Paola Calderon in 1995 and began a career as a dental assistant/technician. Maritza met her eventual, smitten husband Gary Rothlein in 2010 and the two married on September 27th , 2014, with loving vows that were never broken. Maritza bonded with Gary’s young daughter Natalie; that strong bond remains forever. The Rothleins settled in Simi Valley in 2018, enjoying dining out and traveling, especially enjoying California’s diverse beauty. The family joined Cornerstone Church, where Maritza made many fulfilling friendships.

In 2020, she received her first diagnosis as Stage 4, but her faith and determination was unstoppable. For 3 ½ years, she took her medical treatments, and with her unending faith and God’s guiding hand, kept that diagnosis under control, out-living projections and living her life as if all was well. In August 2023, she was so proud to see her daughter Paola graduate from Veterinarian School in Arizona, determined that nothing would stop her attendance. In January 2024, her condition worsened dramatically. She was ready to meet Jesus, but not without a fight. Right up to the end whether in the hospital or in hospice here at home, she would get up, put her shoes on and walk to do whatever she needed to do, no help wanted. She went peacefully, but not before opening her eyes 10 minutes before she left, giving her surrounding family one last time to express their love and blessings for all she had done.

Maritza is survived by her daughter Paola and step-daughter Natalie, husband Gary, brother Nelson Calderon, sisters Gladys, Violetta, and Carolina, mom Alicia and a host of cousins, nephews, nieces and more all of whom loved her dearly. Her legacy is un-ending.