Tomas Vallejo

An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Tomás, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Tomás really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Tomás was born on September 22, 1922 at home in Guadalajara, Jalisco. His parents were Antonio Vallejo and Marcelina Iñiguez. Tomás was raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Even as a child, Tomás had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Tomás was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Tomás managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Tomás was raised with six siblings. He had two older brothers, Agapito and Ignacio, and one older sister Catalina. He had two younger brothers José Antonio and Guadalupe, and one younger sister Maria de Jesus.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Tomás very easy to approach. On June 10, 1950 Tomás exchanged wedding vows with Rosa González Tiznado at Templo del Refugio of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Tomás related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Tomás was blessed with seven children, five sons, Arturo, Mario Alberto, Antonio Javier, José Luis, Miguel Angel, and two daughters Ana Rosa and Laura Elena. They were also blessed with sixteen grandchildren, Adam, David, Victor, Leticia, Mario Jr., Vidal, Elizabeth, Michelle, Kentu, Monique, Otis, Joshua, Jonathan, Jose Luis Jr., Edward, Julie, and David; and six great grandchildren, Joseph, Isabella, Isaac, Ezra, Israel, and Neveah. Tomás had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Tomás’ compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Tomás had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Tomás was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Tomás liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Tomás was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Tomás's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Tomás as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was Rohr retiree as a hand finisher. He was employed for 10 years by Sherman Elementary.

Tomás enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Tomás liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were working on cars. Tomás was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Tomás felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Tomás loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Tomás relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Tomás never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Recreational sports included hunting and fishing. Tomás was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were boxing and wrestling.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Tomás recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church for 46 years.

Living life in the fast lane suited Tomás just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Puerto Vallarta and San Carlos , B. C.

Tomás believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 1980, Tomás took it in stride as one more way to have fun. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Tomás remained busy with people and projects. Even in retirement, Tomás continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

He died of Congestive Heart Failure. He is survived by his six children, sixteen grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. Services were held at Our Lady of Guadalupe San Diego. Tomás was laid to rest in El Camino Memorial Park.

Tomás brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. He will be remembered with a smile.

In lieu of flowers the Vallejo family kindly requests monetary donations be made in his memory to the family.