Nicolasa Dominguez Jimenez
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Nicolasa Dominguez Jimenez, lovingly known as Nico, at the age of 91.
Nicolasa was born on September 13, 1934. At just 17 years old, she came to the United States in 1950 and settled in Oxnard, where she worked in the agricultural fields and at a restaurant called Cielito Lindo. In 1953, she received her resident card, and in 1961, she made her way to Santa Barbara, where she would build her life and raise her family.
Nico was strong, fiercely independent, and incredibly hardworking. She came of age during a time when life could be especially difficult for a young female immigrant building a home in a new country. Her strength was not simply part of her personality; it was something life required of her. She was resilient, resourceful, and determined.
Nico spent many years in the food service industry, working at several Santa Barbara establishments, including Rose Cafe on Haley Street for 27 years, La Estrellita on Haley Street, and Woolworth’s Luncheon Counter, where she worked for 26 years. Her work ethic was extraordinary, often working long hours and seven days a week to provide for her family.
Nico knew her own mind and was rarely shy about sharing it. She could be tough, direct, and wonderfully unfiltered. She did not always express her emotions openly, but those who knew her understood that her love was often found in what she did, especially in her cooking. Food was one of Nico’s greatest ways of showing love, caring for those around her and bringing people together. She also had a special love for her cats, whose companionship brought her happiness throughout her life.
One of Nico’s proudest accomplishments came on February 23, 2000, when she became a United States citizen at the age of 66, a testament to the perseverance and determination that defined so much of her life.
Nico had five children before coming to Santa Barbara and later welcomed two more, raising seven children and becoming the respected matriarch of a five-generation family. She is survived by her children, Lupe, Vicky, Joe, Pablo (Denise) and Julio; 28 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; 16 great-great-grandchildren; her sister Gloria, extended family, and many friends and loved ones.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Adrian Jimenez and Guadalupe Dominguez; her beloved daughters, Diana and Alicia; and her sister, Chelo.
We are grateful for the 91 years we were blessed to have Nico. Her legacy will live on through every generation of the family she loved and helped build. We will remember her strength, her unmistakable honesty, the meals that brought us together, the life she built from so little, and the stories and memories she leaves with us.
Donations may be made in Nico’s name to the Hospice Serenity House by VNA Health in lieu of flowers.
Graveside Service & Celebration of Life
Goleta Cemetery August 28, 2026 at 11:00 AM
A celebration of Nico’s life will follow the graveside service.
Rest peacefully, Mom. Your love and memory will live in all of us, forever.
