Camille Helen Ojeda
November 21, 1944 — September 5, 2023
Camilla "Camille" Helen (Simone) Ojeda, 78, of Montebello, California, passed away September 5, 2023. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of forty-four years, Louis A. "Lou" Ojeda, in September 2009. She was born on November 21, 1944, in Providence, Rhode Island to her parents Vincenza (Elliano) and Francesco "Frank" Simone who named her after her paternal grandmother. Camille had three older siblings, including the late Antonio "Sonny" Simone, the late Frank Simone, and Jean (Simone) DeSimone.
Her mother Vincenza was a big influence in her life. Vincenza was born in a small town outside of Naples, Italy, and her family arrived in New York at Ellis Island in the 1920s. They settled in Rhode Island, where they lived until Camille was three when they moved to Los Angeles, California. As a child, her favorite toy was a tiny brown bear she kept for over fifteen years, and favorites candies were York Peppermint Patties and Abba-Zabas.
Camille went to Catholic School until Eighth Grade. She then went to George Washington High and graduated in 1962. She studied business, with classes in accounting, typing, and shorthand. Her favorite subjects were history and shorthand. She left home shortly after her high school graduation.
In 1964, Camille and her husband Lou met through friends and immediately hit it off. They famously married on August 14, 1965, during the Watts Riots. Camille and Lou went camping and on road trips and traveling. They also loved playing blackjack with their friends. Lou was a Montebello police officer for nineteen years until he retired in 1998. Camille lived in Montebello from 1965 until her passing.
Camille was an extremely hard worker. At 16, she worked in her aunt's and uncle's café for the summer. When she graduated from high school, her two brothers, Frank and Tony, both worked for Northrup, and they helped her get a secretarial job in Northrup's Purchasing Department. After that, Camille went to work for the Los Angeles Unified School District. She was the youngest office manager with LAUSD and was promoted to Executive Secretary, which was one step below secretary to the Board of Education.
Beginning in 1980, she worked for the State Assembly, 57th District, for two years. She then transitioned to becoming a legal secretary specializing in litigation. She worked the gambit of legal areas that included personal injury, worker's compensation, divorce, medical malpractice, products liability, police defense, corporate, wills and trusts, entertainment, sports, insurance defense, environmental, and securities.
Camille had an outstanding and successful career as a legal secretary. She started as a legal secretary at the Law Office of Thomas Stutz. In 1987, she took a job as a legal secretary at Latham & Watkins LLP, the largest international law firm in the world. She loved her job and the people she worked. She made lifelong friends there. Latham & Watkins was a 24-7 law firm and Camille was often called in to work on a big deal at 3:00 a.m. and loved the thrill of big deal closings. Camille worked hard her entire life to provide for her two children, whom she adored. Camille retired in 2007 to care for her husband Lou, who had fallen ill. In retirement, she worked as a travel agent specializing in cruises.
Camille loved her family, her friends, cruises, Las Vegas, getting exercise at Disneyland, animals, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, cooking, and, perhaps most of all, baking for her family. She was known for her signature dessert, chocolate chip cookies.
Camille was a proud daughter of Italian immigrants. Growing up, she would spend time in the kitchen with her mother. There, she learned to cook all kinds of Italian food. By age 13, she was cooking Sunday Dinners for the family. Camille loved pasta with shrimp, olive oil, and lots of garlic as well as polenta. She often spent Sundays making the "gravy," letting it cook on the stove for hours. She put red pepper flakes on it all. Another one of Camille's specialties was Mexican food, including enchiladas, chile rellenos, pinto beans, and Mexican rice.
She often had her children and their families over for dinner, each time sending them home with lots of her delicious food. She was so generous and loving. Camille loved to cook with family as well and was very proud of the fact that both her children learned to be excellent cooks from her. She spent time teaching her granddaughter to cook and wanted to pass her recipes down.
Camille loved cruises and most especially loved family cruises. For her 75th birthday, Camille's family and close friends took a cruise up the California Coast. They all celebrated Camille's milestone birthday, and everyone had a wonderful time. She went on many cruises all over the world. She loved them all but her favorite cruise was 12-days in Italy, with stops in Rome, Venice, Sicily, and Naples, where her mother was from. While in Rome she visited the Vatican.
When she was asked what made her happy, she responded "Family makes me happy. I love to visit with them, love to cook and bake for family. I also love to cruise but family is first." Camille deeply loved her animal companions.
Camille is survived by countless family members and friends. She is survived by her two children, Michelle Louise Ojeda and her wife Julie Elise (Kamps) Ojeda of Irvine, California, as well as Louis Michael Ojeda and his wife Monika Rebeca (Esparza) Ojeda of Altadena, California. She is also survived by her beloved granddaughter, Cecelia Lola Ojeda. At the time of her passing, she resided with her caregiver, Todd Abourezk, and three cats.
She had ten nieces and nephews, Antonio F. "Tony" Simone, John DeSimone, Teresa Cabello Ollom Simone, Frank Simone, Joseph M. Simone, Mary Simone Houser, Frank DeSimone, Ann Marie DeSimone, Ann Rodriguez, and Jeff Simone. She also had many beloved cousins, cousins-in-law, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.
Camille's friends adored her, including her friend Ed Zaro whom she met at Latham & Watkins and then spoke to every day until her passing and her friend Beverly "Cookie" Marquez, with whom she has been friends for nearly fifty years. Camille's friends and relatives thought of her as their "second mom" and she was generous with her time and love. "She was always there for you."
In lieu of flowers, the family of Camille has asked donations to be made in her memory to PetSmart Charities
Condolences for the family may be sent through our website.
Her mother Vincenza was a big influence in her life. Vincenza was born in a small town outside of Naples, Italy, and her family arrived in New York at Ellis Island in the 1920s. They settled in Rhode Island, where they lived until Camille was three when they moved to Los Angeles, California. As a child, her favorite toy was a tiny brown bear she kept for over fifteen years, and favorites candies were York Peppermint Patties and Abba-Zabas.
Camille went to Catholic School until Eighth Grade. She then went to George Washington High and graduated in 1962. She studied business, with classes in accounting, typing, and shorthand. Her favorite subjects were history and shorthand. She left home shortly after her high school graduation.
In 1964, Camille and her husband Lou met through friends and immediately hit it off. They famously married on August 14, 1965, during the Watts Riots. Camille and Lou went camping and on road trips and traveling. They also loved playing blackjack with their friends. Lou was a Montebello police officer for nineteen years until he retired in 1998. Camille lived in Montebello from 1965 until her passing.
Camille was an extremely hard worker. At 16, she worked in her aunt's and uncle's café for the summer. When she graduated from high school, her two brothers, Frank and Tony, both worked for Northrup, and they helped her get a secretarial job in Northrup's Purchasing Department. After that, Camille went to work for the Los Angeles Unified School District. She was the youngest office manager with LAUSD and was promoted to Executive Secretary, which was one step below secretary to the Board of Education.
Beginning in 1980, she worked for the State Assembly, 57th District, for two years. She then transitioned to becoming a legal secretary specializing in litigation. She worked the gambit of legal areas that included personal injury, worker's compensation, divorce, medical malpractice, products liability, police defense, corporate, wills and trusts, entertainment, sports, insurance defense, environmental, and securities.
Camille had an outstanding and successful career as a legal secretary. She started as a legal secretary at the Law Office of Thomas Stutz. In 1987, she took a job as a legal secretary at Latham & Watkins LLP, the largest international law firm in the world. She loved her job and the people she worked. She made lifelong friends there. Latham & Watkins was a 24-7 law firm and Camille was often called in to work on a big deal at 3:00 a.m. and loved the thrill of big deal closings. Camille worked hard her entire life to provide for her two children, whom she adored. Camille retired in 2007 to care for her husband Lou, who had fallen ill. In retirement, she worked as a travel agent specializing in cruises.
Camille loved her family, her friends, cruises, Las Vegas, getting exercise at Disneyland, animals, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, cooking, and, perhaps most of all, baking for her family. She was known for her signature dessert, chocolate chip cookies.
Camille was a proud daughter of Italian immigrants. Growing up, she would spend time in the kitchen with her mother. There, she learned to cook all kinds of Italian food. By age 13, she was cooking Sunday Dinners for the family. Camille loved pasta with shrimp, olive oil, and lots of garlic as well as polenta. She often spent Sundays making the "gravy," letting it cook on the stove for hours. She put red pepper flakes on it all. Another one of Camille's specialties was Mexican food, including enchiladas, chile rellenos, pinto beans, and Mexican rice.
She often had her children and their families over for dinner, each time sending them home with lots of her delicious food. She was so generous and loving. Camille loved to cook with family as well and was very proud of the fact that both her children learned to be excellent cooks from her. She spent time teaching her granddaughter to cook and wanted to pass her recipes down.
Camille loved cruises and most especially loved family cruises. For her 75th birthday, Camille's family and close friends took a cruise up the California Coast. They all celebrated Camille's milestone birthday, and everyone had a wonderful time. She went on many cruises all over the world. She loved them all but her favorite cruise was 12-days in Italy, with stops in Rome, Venice, Sicily, and Naples, where her mother was from. While in Rome she visited the Vatican.
When she was asked what made her happy, she responded "Family makes me happy. I love to visit with them, love to cook and bake for family. I also love to cruise but family is first." Camille deeply loved her animal companions.
Camille is survived by countless family members and friends. She is survived by her two children, Michelle Louise Ojeda and her wife Julie Elise (Kamps) Ojeda of Irvine, California, as well as Louis Michael Ojeda and his wife Monika Rebeca (Esparza) Ojeda of Altadena, California. She is also survived by her beloved granddaughter, Cecelia Lola Ojeda. At the time of her passing, she resided with her caregiver, Todd Abourezk, and three cats.
She had ten nieces and nephews, Antonio F. "Tony" Simone, John DeSimone, Teresa Cabello Ollom Simone, Frank Simone, Joseph M. Simone, Mary Simone Houser, Frank DeSimone, Ann Marie DeSimone, Ann Rodriguez, and Jeff Simone. She also had many beloved cousins, cousins-in-law, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.
Camille's friends adored her, including her friend Ed Zaro whom she met at Latham & Watkins and then spoke to every day until her passing and her friend Beverly "Cookie" Marquez, with whom she has been friends for nearly fifty years. Camille's friends and relatives thought of her as their "second mom" and she was generous with her time and love. "She was always there for you."
In lieu of flowers, the family of Camille has asked donations to be made in her memory to PetSmart Charities
Condolences for the family may be sent through our website.
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