Leopoldo Arellano Urizar's Obituary
Elogio de Leopoldo Urizar
Primeramente, gracias por asistir y por unirse a nuestro dolor. Hoy estamos aqui para celebrar la vida de mi padre, Leopoldo Arellano Urizar.
Nuestro padre nacio el 5 de noviembre de 1929 en San Juan Tetla Puebla, Mexico. Fue el mayor de 4 hijos de Emigdio y Catalina Urizar.
La vida de nuestro Padre no fue ordinaria. Mi Apa, como soliamos llamarle, fue un hombre arriesgado y aventurero; lleno de energia y determinacion. Un ejemplo de su espiritu aventurero y arriesgado ocurrio durante su juventud cuando decidio conquistar su apreciado volcan el Popo en su tierra natal de Puebla. Escalaron los 18,000 pies de altura en dos dias. Estilo indio sin tanques de oxigeno y con solo un mecate y sus fuerzas para alcanzar su meta. Increiblemente, pasaron la noche dentro de la boca del volcan. Asi como escalo el Popo, continuo enfrentando otros retos en su vida.
Durante los anos 50s, cruzo la frontera entre Mexico y los Estados Unidos a la edad de 26 anos como parte del programa de Braseros. Durante el transcurso de cuatro anos de aventura cruzo varios estados piscando algodon en Luisiana; limon, naranja y lechuga en Watsonville, Gilroy y Salinas California. Por fin, llego a su querido Escondido en 1958 para piscar limon.
Gracias a Dios, conocio y se caso con nuestra madre Margarita Colin Urizar en Tijuana en 1961. Empezaron su familia y compraron su casa aqui en Escondido. Tuvieron 3 hijos: Lucia, Pedro y Lorenzo. Aunque tenia una educacion limitada pudo proveernos con lo esencial a traves de trabajo y esfuerzos. Por varios anos mis padres disfrutaron su vida familiar, pero lamentablemente, en 1975, nuestra familia sufrio una gran tragedia con la muerte de nuestra madre. Murio en Mexico la manana del 6 de Mayo. Mi Apa siempre nos recordaba que las ultimas palabras de nuestra madre fueron, “Leopoldo, los ninos, los ninos, los ninos”. Repitio las palabra 3 veces por los 3 ninos que dejaba en el mundo. A los 46 anos mi Apa se quedo viudo con tres hijos. Mis tios le ofrecieron a mi padre que dejara a Lorenzo y regrasara a Escondido solamente con Pedro y conmigo porque ya asistiamos a la escuela. Sin pensarlo dos veces mi Apa les contesto que no iba a separar nuestra familia.
Te damos las gracias Apa por mantener a nuestra familia unida. Te agradecemos por nunca abandonarnos y por el amor y apoyo que nos brindaste. Varios amigos le extendieron apoyo a mi padre y por eso les damos las gracias a ustedes por darle la mano a mi Apa. Cuando el mundo se le derrumbo, cuando la adversidad retaba, nuestro padre no se dejo caer. Lleno de fe y esperanza siguio adelante con su hembrita y sus dos machitos.
Dios nunca se olvido de mi padre y lo volvio a bendecir con otra gran mujer. Tres anos despues de la muerte de mi madre, mi padre se caso con nuestra mama, Maria. Esta decision causo que nuestra familia evolucionara no solamente en cantidad sino tambien en calidad y amor. Maria nos proveo el amor, atencion y apoyo de una madre. Reenforzo nuestra fe en Dios y nuestros valores. Ella siempre estaba pendiente de mi Apa y nuestra familia. Su union perduro por mas de 40 anos hasta que nuestro Padre Dios le llamo a su reino.
A mi Apa le encantaba la vida del campo. Le gustaba trabajar en su jardin rodeado por sus animales; sus queridos chivos, gallinas, perros y gatos. Era un amigo y vecino generoso regalandole a la visita la cosecha de su jardin y sus esfuerzos. Aunque tenia un caracter fuerte, mi padre tambien tenia un gran corazon. Muchos lo conocian por ser un hombre alegre. Los fines de semana, le gustaba invitar a sus amigos a una carne asada y musica.
Nuestro lindo padre, Leopoldo Urizar, fue un hombre de fe que enfrento la vida con la frente en alto. Aunque experimento mucho sufrimiento en su larga vida, y muy resiente el fallecimiento de su amigo Primitivo Castellon, la perdida de su casa en la Washington y la muerte de su querido perro Osito. Dios siempre estuvo a su lado.
Cuando tenia que enfrentar las pruebas mas dolorosas de su vida, nuestro Padre Dios le ayudo a cargar su cruz. Y asi como el nunca nos abandono como padre durante esos momentos de prueba, nosotros como familia (esposa, hijos y nietos) hicimos todo lo posible para no abandonarlo cuando mas nos necesitaba.
En este dia le damos gracias a Dios por darnos un padre ejemplar y oramos por su salvacion.
Te amamos Apa.
Eulogy of Leopoldo Urizar
First and foremost my family and I would like to extend our gratitude to everyone present.
Today we are joined to pay our respects and honor the blessed life of our father, Leopoldo Arellano Urizar.
Mi Apa, as we lovingly called him, was born the 5th of November 1929 in San Juan Tetla, Puebla, Mexico. He was the eldest son of 4 children of Emigdio y Catalina Urizar.
Our Father lived an extraordinary life. He was a risk-taker and adventurous full of energy, vitality and determination.
One early example of his venturous streak was from his youth when he ascended his beloved volcano “El Popo” in his native Puebla along with other members of his village. They climbed 18,000 feet above sea level in two days. Like his native ancestors, they lacked oxygen tanks, relying soley on a climbing rope and their shared determination. Incredibly, they spent the night in the mouth of the volcano, dizzy from the smell of sulfur and shivering in the freezing cold wind. Just like my father was able to scale the mighty “Popo” he was also able to overcome other challenges in his life.
In the 1950s mi Apa entered the United States through the Braseros guest worker program. Over the course of 4 years he journeyed across the US picking cotton in Louisiana and lemons, oranges and lettuce in Watsonville, Gilroy and Salinas California. He ultimately arrived in his beloved Escondido in 1958 to pick lemons.
With God’s grace my father met and married our mother Margarita Urizar in Tijuana in 1961. They began a life and family together and ultimately bought a home in Escondido. They had 3 children, Lucia, Pedro and Lorenzo. Although he had a limited education mi Apa was able to provide for his family through his determination and hard work. For many years our parents enjoyed their family life but unfortunately in 1975 our family suffered a terrible tragedy with the death of our mother. She died from cancer in her hometown of Morelos, Mexico. Mi Apa, would always remind us of our Mother’s dying words, “Leopoldo, los ninos, los ninos, los ninos”. She repeated the word “children” 3 times for each of the children she was leaving behind. At 46 years old our Father became widowed with 3 children under the age of 13. My mother’s family in Mexico encouraged mi Apa to leave the youngest Lorenzo behind for them to raise, and return to Escondido only with Pedro and myself because we were already in school. Without thinking twice mi Apa declined their offer and told them he would not separate our family.
We thank you Apa for keeping our family together. For never abandoning us and for all the love and support you gave us especially during that very difficult time. Many friends also reached out to help mi Apa and us during those 3 years we were alone, and for their kindness we are truly grateful. When the world came crashing down, when life had brought us to our knees, our Father taught us to never give up. With his faith in God and hope for the future, mi Apa picked up the pieces and moved forward with his daughter and 2 boys.
God never abandoned our Father, and blessed him once more with another great woman. 3 years after my mother died, mi Apa married our mom Maria. Maria has shown us the love and support of a mother. She solidified our faith in God and our family values. Maria was always attentive of our family and our Father and their union lasted more than 40 years, until God called my dad home.
My dad was a farmer at heart. He loved working in his vegetable and fruit garden surrounded by his animals; his beloved goats, chickens, dogs and cats. He was a generous neighbor and friend always bestowing upon them the fruits of his garden and hard work. Although he was a strict Father he also was very loving and enjoyed having a good time. One of his favorite weekend activities was having friends over for a barbeque of carne asada and hours of listening to good music.
Our beloved Father, Leopoldo Urizar, was a man of strong faith who went through life with his head held high. Although he had many challenges in his long life, the most recent were the passing of his close friend Primitivo Castellon, the loss of his home on Washington, and the death of his beloved dog Osito. God was always at his side. Our Lord helped my dad to carry his cross and eased his burden.
And just like our Father was at our side during our time of need, never abandoning us when we were most vulnerable, his family (wife, children and grandchildren) was at his side during his time of need.
On this day we thank God for giving us such an exemplary and loving Father and we pray for his salvation.
We will always love you Apa.
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