Alicia Irene Zozula

Alicia Irene Zozula, 69, returned home to her Lord on Friday, September 24, 2021. She held her head and spirit high throughout a valiant, on-again, off-again relationship with various health issues, including colon cancer. As her favorite gesture, the peace sign, would imply, the word “fight” never quite described her experience. It was more like this: “The answer to cancer is to flow with it; to heal is to have it sing in tune with the rest of me.”
And she did – for as long as she was able.
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Alicia was the second daughter born to Marcos and Grace Cazares, nee Sandoval on September 24, 1952 in Austin, Texas.
Until young adulthood, Alicia grew up in Southern California with her hardworking Mexican-American parents and 3 siblings. She attended Inglewood High School and enjoyed sports like running, tennis, and drill team, but her true passion was art. While she chose to forego a degree in visual art in order to marry and have her first child, she never lost her love of painting, drawing, and photography.
Alicia’s daughters, Jacqueline, Kaitlin and Cara rarely recall a time when their mother was not at an easel or behind a camera. She loved to read and traveled across the United States numerous times, living in Texas, California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and finally with her two daughters and grandsons in Missouri. As a mother, she stressed the importance of reading and travelling – “two of life’s greatest teachers”.
Some of Alicia’s greatest qualities, as described by her lifelong best friend, Lynda, are her warmth, humor, dimpled smile and “hippie soul”. Alicia (“Allie”) loved music, her relationship with Jesus, sunflowers, and cooking (famous for those homemade tamales!). In true artist form, Allie dabbled in many interests and careers throughout her life, including photography and IT support. She loved board games, quoting movies with her daughters, and loving on her grandsons, Tristan and Cash.
11 days before Heaven, a special loved one asked, “Alicia, honestly, how do you stay so positive?” She simply said, “I think about the alternative. And then I make a choice.” It’s this type of humility, faith, and character for which you’ll be forever revered, sweet Allie.
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Alicia is preceded in death by her parents, Grace and Marcos Cazares.
She is “Yaya” to her two adoring grandsons, Tristan Jack and Cash Maddox, and forever “Mommy” to her daughters, Jacqueline Louise, Kaitlin Grace, and Cara Jean, who collectively cherish her mirth, creativity, and strength beyond compare.

Memorial Contributions are asked to: https://everloved.com/life-of/alicia-zozula/

• Services will be held on Wednesday, September 29, 2021
  Visitation – 10:00am, Memorial Service – 11:00am
• To View the Service Live Online please visit:  Alicia Zozula LIVE!
• Heartland Cremation & Burial Society
  6113 Blue Ridge Boulevard
  Raytown, MO 64133
  Lunch – 1:00pm
  Location TBD