Sukanya "Sunny" Suntikul

October 20, 1950 - November 25, 2022

Sukanya “Sunny” Suntikul of Granada Hills, California passed away from cancer at the age of 72 at home with family at bedside.

Sunny was born in Chonburi, Thailand to Thong Luan Sae-ink, a homemaker and Hiran Suntikul, a city tax collector. A sickly child, she spent most of her childhood near the city away from her parents in her aunt’s boisterous home which doubled as a casino. There her love of gambling and fun began. Throughout her life, Sunny enjoyed the opportunity to be with friends and family, whether playing at the casino, road tripping across the US, or traveling overseas with friends and colleagues.

Sunny was smart and adaptable, hard-working and loved her work. She graduated from Chiang Mai University with a Degree in Nursing Science and received her Bachelor's in Education at Mahidol University. In 1976, standing tall at 4’10”, she bravely came to America without knowing any English. After many attempts at the licensing examination, she persevered and became a nurse. Having worked in the adult intensive care unit and operating room for nearly a decade, she eventually found her home in the obstetric ward and neonatal intensive care unit. She made a difference in many lives as a skilled nurse and also as a neonatal resuscitation instructor and clinical supervisor. In addition to her life's passion as a nurse, she also at one time owned a Thai restaurant and dabbled in cosmetology. She was able to make a comfortable life with her first husband Porntep Yuvaves and her son Keerati Yuvaves.

Sunny again persevered through her initial cancer diagnosis at the young age of 35. After a difficult birth which almost took her life, she was able to raise two more children Darla and Tanya Cabrito with her second husband Demosthenes Cabrito.

Sukanya was a strong woman with a “sunny” disposition, often making off-color jokes and astute observations. Beneath her sometimes stubborn exterior, was a generous soul. She will be remembered fondly as a loving mother, grandmother, sister, friend, mentor, and bright flame in the lives of those she touched.

She is survived by her brothers Suriya Suntikul and Kwanchai Suntikul, sister Supranee Suntikul, son Keerati Yuvaves, daughters Darla and Tanya Cabrito, and grandson Theo Pease.