Capturing a life cut short: Amber: Family members recall a vibrant, giving spirit. [The Porterville Recorder, Calif.]Knight Ridder/Tribune "Business News "
Nov. 14--Amber: Family members recall a vibrant, giving spirit.
A lot of people have a lot to say about Amber Nicole Zavala.
Jenna Zavala, 22, said family members have been overwhelmed with stories about Amber from people she came into contact with from every area of her daily life.
Amber Zavala, 23, was found dead in her apartment Nov. 7. Police say she was killed by her former boyfriend, who died the next morning from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Amber's mother, stepfather and five brothers and sisters talked Monday about a young woman who loved to laugh. They will remember their daughter, sister and friend as someone who was always playful, sometimes painfully shy and notoriously quick-witted.
 Her friend posted a little bulletin on MySpace, Jenna said, as one example of many anecdotes that have been told since Amber's death.  She said she remembered this one time Amber was working at Denny's and she had this party of 30 people.Â
The writer said Amber started to take each order by memory without a hiccup until she was stopped by a member of the dinner party.
 She came to this lady who said ÂAren't you going to write this all down?' and Amber pointed to her head and said ÂOh, it's all right here,'  Jenna said, recalling the story.
As the customer went on to speak with the manager, Amber continued to take orders without the benefit of paper or pen.
 She got everything right. Took the right meal to the right person and was just perfect, Jenna said proudly.  She was best waitress anybody knew.Â
Amber's mother, Lonette Zavala Pope, said Amber was so much more than a waitress, even though she did make an excellent one in the two years she worked at Denny's.
 I'm not sure that a lot of people knew the real Amber even if they thought they did, Lonette said.  Honestly I don't think I knew her as well as I would have liked to have known her.Â
Lonette said she was repeatedly impressed by Amber's ability to overcome her own shyness. In 2001, Amber took a spin in the spotlight as a contestant in the Veterans Homecoming Queen, Miss Porterville Pageant.
 She was so shy and she had chosen to sing but she couldn't even face the girls to sing her song, Lonette said.  I talked to Debbie Givens who was a coordinator at that time and she said she wasn't sure how she was going to get her to sing to the public because Amber would turn around in rehearsal and sing to the wall.Â
Amber continued to serenade the walls with Mariah Carey's signature song  Hero.Â
 The night of the performance she blew us away, Lonette said.
Stepfather David Pope said Amber was also known to compose some music of her own.
 She liked to make up little songs, David said.  She had a sharp wit.Â
 Just little ditties, Jenna added. She continued to recall a specific jingle inspired by brother Kris Zavala, now 18, and his first physics lesson in microwave energy.
 When he was in Cub Scouts he had a derby car and he tried to glue some metal weights on, Jenna said, describing the events leading up to a major meltdown.  So he put the wet glue on and put it in the microwave and you know, they're metal weights. So then Amber started singing Âthe glue wasn't drying / so he started frying / the poor little innocent car.' Â
 If you were down she'd cheer you up anyway she could, brother Devyn Zavala, 13, said.  Just by the sound of her voice.Â
 I would say ÂAmber I need a joke' and within half an hour she was back with a joke, Jenna said.  She would have me rolling around and make my day feel so much better.Â
Helping to make people feel better was one of Amber's continuing goals. Lonette said her daughter attended Porterville College out of high school but wanted to move out on her own.
 She started at college, but you know at that age everyone wants to be independent and move out, Lonette said.  So that meant she had to get a job.Â
Lonette said her daughter was planning to return to school in the summer, where she would take classes toward a nursing degree.
On Monday, Lonette said she is still very much in shock over her daughter's death and the loss of a blossoming mother-daughter friendship.
 We were starting to really build our relationship, Lonette said.  Between 17 and 18 to  oh 24 or 25, they're independent and they don't really need you, she said.  Amber was getting back to that stage of ÂHey Mom, yadda yadda yadda.'
 But it was kind of cut short.Â
Stepfather David said the family has been comforted by people who have come forward to share their own memories of Amber.
 We've heard so much from the community telling us all of the things she has done; the things she made a difference with. We've heard so much more that we're starting to know her a little bit better, David said.  She was our Amber, but she was a lot of other people's Amber, too.Â
Contact Sarah Elizebeth Villicana at 784-5000, Ext. 1045, or svillicana@portervillerecorder.com.
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