Friends and Co-workers Remember Victim Jessica Morales

At Lunardi's Market in San Bruno, employees are mourning the loss of former co-worker, Jessica Morales, 20, who died from injuries suffered in Thursday's natural gas explosion.

"She was like a daughter to me," Assistant Store Director Laurie Lutge said. "We were that close, and I can barely even talk about what happened."

Morales had worked at Lunardi's for eight months before she began working at the Baskin Robbins in Millbrae. She had also been taking a few classes at the California Arts Academy in San Francisco where she wanted to become a fashion designer, family friend Maria Deleon said.

"Even when she was working, she was always dressed super fashionably," her manager, Wilson Yee, said.

Deleon, who lived on the same block as Morales, recalled the young woman's heightened sense of fashion.

"She was adorable, the cute jeans, the cute little baby dolls, hair in every style you can imagine, your typical teenage girl," Deleon said. "Just a cutie pie."

But according to those closest around her, it was her personality that outshined her appearance.

"If you met her once, you immediately fell in love with her," Deleon recalled. "She was always talkative and friendly to everyone."

Deleon said Morales couldn't afford the classes at the Academy, so she began worked as a bagger at Lunardi's. While working there, she met her then boyfriend, Patrick Lutz.

"Her personality was like no other," Lutz said. "She was a go-getter. She lived life the way she wanted to. We were always doing something fun, whether it was going out to dinner or watching a movie."

Yee added, "She had this sparkle in her eye and everyone here liked her."

Fellow bagger Nicole Martinez recalled that same outgoing spirit, "She was incredibly social and nice to everyone."

"She had so many friends," Lutge laughed. "When she wasn't attending to customers, she was always texting."

"But she was great with customers," Yee remembered. "Always chatting with them and socializing. And when something like this happens, the whole community is devastated."

Many co-workers said they would attend the funeral once more details were available. Memorial services will be held at the Church of Highlands, the date and time to be determined.

To offset funeral service costs, Deleon set up a memorial fund through Wells Fargo called the "Jessica Lynne Morales Memorial Fund." Donations can be made at any location.

The Lions Club of San Bruno will also be funding the reception following the funeral. The club is holding an emergency board meeting tonight at 6pm to discuss details, Mel Phillips, the organizer, said.

"You just can't imagine how many lives this young girl has touched," Deleon said. "There's no words to explain how much I miss her. She's going to be missed so much by a lot of people." 

Alexis Fitts contributed to this article.