Christine Ann Hernandez
"...A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."
- Proverbs: 31:30-31
Let's Celebrate Christine Ann Hernandez
Our beloved Christine Ann Hernandez went home to be with the Lord on March 26th, 2025. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 12:30 p.m. on April 26th, 2025, at Diamond Bar High School’s Theater located at 21400 Pathfinder Road in Diamond Bar, California.
Born in New York on October 29, 1959, to Emanuel and Eda Orabona, Christine grew up with a deep passion for athletics, particularly basketball and volleyball. She graduated from San Gabriel High School in California and went on to attend Rio Hondo College. She later worked at the University of Southern California.
Christine married Michael Hernandez in August of 1980, and together they had two sons, Michael (born in 1982) and Christopher (born in 1986). Over time, she made the most important decision of her life and entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, her Lord and Savior.
God answered Christine’s prayer by providing the perfect church for her and the kids, just minutes from their home in Diamond Bar. At Church in the Valley, her faith and understanding of the Word flourished under the guidance of Pastor Randy Lanthripe and his wonderful wife, Cindy.
Christine lived out the fruit of the Spirit with patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, and faithfulness. Her faith was contagious, leading to the salvation and transformation of her sons Michael and Christopher, her ex-husband Michael, her late brother Dismas, and countless others who crossed her path.
Her life was centered on her love for children, and she poured that love into 33 years of serving in children’s ministries at Church in the Valley, Kingdom Covenant Church, and Crosswalk Community Church. During this time, Christine also devoted 20 years of service to Camino Real Chevrolet in Monterey Park.
One of her greatest passions was helping kids gain confidence and showcase their talents. Christine certainly accomplished this through her 30 years of work with Applause for Kids theatre where she was honored to serve and support Jolene Grinstead. Christine was a true multi-tasker, and she often helped produce, teach, direct, create costumes and sets, and utilized her exceptional storytelling and scriptwriting talents for many top-quality shows in the community.
Above all, her heart was devoted to her nine grandchildren: Kody, Nikki, Silas, Richard, Jalynn, Emmett, Dismas, Wyatt and the newest addition, baby Michael. Affectionately known as Mama Choo Choo, she helped raise and teach many of them while reflecting the love of Jesus in every way.
During her last decade, she lived with her son Christopher, daughter-in-law Brandy, and their two children. At the time of her passing, she was a resident of Woodland Park, Colorado, with plans to attend Charis Bible College, eager to continue growing her faith as a student of the Word.
Her final weeks were spent in the loving home of Mama Rose Hernandez in California with an outpouring of visitors and love from friends, family, and incredible round-the-clock care and support from her son, Michael as well as Lisa Hernandez, Michael and Melissa Hernandez, and the entire Hernandez family.
She is survived by her sons Michael and Christopher as well as her father Emanuel "Max" and her two sisters Michelle and Terri. She was preceded in death by her brother Dismas, her mother Eda, and her nephew Matthew.
Most importantly, Christine believed and lived by the words of Philippians 1:21 – “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
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Memory wall
Thank you Lord for Christine and all the people she impacted in Christ Name
All of those who came over for Thursday night dinners during football season know she was going to use the prayer over the food to minister to a bunch of teenage boys.
While we will all miss her terribly, we know that we know that we will see her again.
We love you and will see you one day big sis!
What struck me most was how she listened. She gave her full attention, with a kindness that made you feel seen and valued. She didn’t just hear people—she held space for them, encouraging and uplifting in a way that felt so natural, so full of grace.
But what I’ll always carry with me was her deep, joyful love for her family. Her face would absolutely light up when she spoke about them. It wasn’t just pride—it was pure joy. Seeing her family thrive brought her the greatest happiness, and that love was beautiful to witness.
Though our time knowing each other was brief, she touched my heart in a lasting way. I’m grateful to have met her.
