Francia Yaquinto

Francia Yaquinto (aka Francia Campos, nee Francille Jill Tustin,) was born June 18, 1951 in Pasadena, Calif., and passed away December 9, 2013 in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Fran graduated from Bakersfield High School and moved to San Jose shortly after the birth of her daughter, Samantha, in 1970. Fran and Samantha then lived in Beverly Hills, Calif., where Fran worked for an accounting firm that represented rock bands in the ‘70s and ‘80s. She often toured with several of these bands--including Van Halen, Jean Luc-Ponty and The Knack--throughout Europe, Japan, Hawaii and Tahiti, to ensure box office receipts were documented and distributed properly. Fran and Samantha then moved to Las Vegas, Nev., where Fran worked as a bookkeeper, gained technological experience and met the love of her life, David Yaquinto. Fran and David married in 1986 and moved to Palm Springs, Calif., and eventually Rancho Mirage, where Fran soon began a successful computer consulting business. Fran and her company, Computer Resources, were well respected in the community and featured in The Desert Sun and The Press-Enterprise, where Fran received accolades for her leadership, service and computer knowhow at a time when it was rare for women to be in the tech industry at all.

In their spare time, Fran and David enjoyed many trips to San Felipe, Mexico, with their beloved Rottweilers in tow. When she wasn’t working or at home with a good book, enjoying her husband’s culinary skills or giving patient, sage advice via telephone to her Hawaii-residing daughter, Fran was cavorting with one of her fabulous companions throughout the Coachella Valley. Fran took immense pride in her work and her family, had a keen intellect, an open mind and unbound curiosity; she believed in retail therapy--shoes, above all--and enjoyed her special Ketel One martini with “educated” ice on the side; she was a voracious reader of crime novels, a stylish and supremely beautiful lady, and a great friend to many, who will never forget her infectious laugh or her generous spirit. Fran is survived by her husband, David Yaquinto; her daughter, Samantha Campos of Oakland, Calif.; her step-son, Jason Yaquinto of Las Vegas, Nev.; her brother, Jeff Tustin of Denver, Colo.; her half-sisters, Marilyn Menigoz of Sacramento, Calif. and Eleanor Barbour of Placentia, Calif.; and her Rottweiler, Rocky. A private celebration of Fran’s life will be held on Saturday, January 11. For exact time and location, please contact her family at herestothelady@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Fran’s name to the Desert AIDS Project.