Luis Avila

      Luis Avila was a man for whom actions would speak louder than words. His life motto might well have been “if it isn’t logical, it’s not important.” The qualities of being fair, just and the ability to recognize what was right were clearly driving forces in Luis’s life. He was also the kind of person who could respect a “do not disturb” sign, whether it was real or implied. He was analytical and observant, with an ability to be simultaneously spontaneous and keenly perceptive. Luis was modest in his actions and extremely literal in his thoughts and in the manner in which he communicated with others. When Luis said something, he meant it. All those who knew him appreciated this trademark quality.

      Luis was born on October 31, 1975 at Sagrado Corazon in Tijuana, Mexico. He was raised by his mother Maria Raygoza and his aunt Lupe Raygoza. Luis was raised in Artesia, California. Even as a small child, Luis wanted to understand what was right and what was wrong in any given situation. As Luis grew older, he realized the importance of being treated fairly, and in return, he treated everyone around him the same way. This belief in fair play served Luis well throughout his life and despite his natural shyness; he enjoyed a solid group of friends.

      Since Luis sought to treat those around him with respect, he often found himself in the role of playing peacemaker within his family. He was comfortable in working through the types of sibling rivalry situations that quite often occur, because he loved the challenge of conflict resolution. He would look at the most reasonable and practical ways to settle any disputes. Luis was raised with seven siblings; two brothers, and five sisters. He had five younger sisters; Gina, Karla, Jane, Rina, and Vicki, and two younger brothers; Brandon and Brian. Luis was constantly involved in activities with his siblings. Luis and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they shared many life experiences.

      During his childhood, family and friends viewed Luis as a quiet and reserved person with what most would consider a calm and tranquil demeanor. In fact, he was a fairly curious child who had the ability to entertain himself and didn’t require much in the way of outside stimulation. A great deal of Luis’s free time was spent learning how and why the things around him worked. He was an active child who loved being outdoors and absorbing all the sensory input that nature could provide. He took part in basketball and riding his bike. In his spare time he liked to draw, and play with marbles and remote control cars.

      The fact that he was curious was an asset to Luis while he was in school. He relished the task of scrutinizing problems, investigating all of the options and then solving them. Luis enjoyed tackling the project that was right in front of him and working it straight through to its conclusion. Sometimes, he would become so involved in the process of problem solving that he would lose awareness of his surroundings. Experience was Luis’s best teacher. He attended Gahr High School and Tracy Tech. High School and graduated in 1994. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was wood shop.

Luis’s good friends tended to be “thinkers” like himself. Even though the circle of friends was somewhat small, it was a strong and loyal group, and Luis liked nothing better than to spend his free time with them. Luis was well known for always being up front and open, never hiding his true feelings, qualities that drew deep loyalty from his friends because they understood and appreciated him for the person he was. Another quality that people admired in Luis was his ability to link cause and effect and apply the appropriate connection in his assessment of any new situation. Growing up his best friends were Jason Pedace, Adelso Vasquez, and Mike Flores. As an adult he also became good friends with Alex Rojas, M.J. and Mario.

      In his work life, Luis was the kind of person who had no difficulty in taking on a project and seeing it through to its completion. He excelled at dealing with those pesky details that can derail some people, and once he understood exactly why he was working on a project, he could plow full steam ahead. For Luis, being able to grasp the logical components of any task was significant to him in appreciating its importance. Even if he worked alone on an assignment, Luis was able to incorporate and welcome new insights from co-workers, and he would readily use them if they improved the process. He was employed for 10 years by Goldilocks. Luis always made the effort to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

      Luis’s curious and inquisitive nature influenced his choice of leisure pursuits as well. He applied his strong concentration and analytical skills as to how things worked to his choice of activities. He particularly enjoyed the “alone” time his hobbies provided. His favorite pursuits were working on his car and working on projects around the house. Luis was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

      Luis had the ability to stay calm and the determination to do what was necessary to get the job finished, traits that helped him enjoy sports. Recreational sports included basketball. Luis was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were basketball and baseball.

      Religion and faith were important to Luis. He held dear the faith and values he derived from his beliefs. He was a lifetime member of the Catholic Church.

      Luis appreciated the occasions when he was able to travel and get away on a vacation. He enjoyed learning about different locales and was open to exploring new and different places. Favorite vacation spots included camping at Perris Lake, Big Bear and Las Vegas.

       He is survived by his mother Maria, aunt Lupe, his sisters; Jane, Rina, Karla, Gina, and Vicki, his brothers; Brandon and Brian, and his nieces Bianca, Mia, Mariah, Marilyn, and Karis. Services were held at Holy Trintiy Catholic Church.

      Luis strongly believed that talk is cheap. He was the type of person who would show others his feelings through his actions. He was practical and realistic but was able to be flexible when the need arose. He had a curiosity about the things around him and tried to experience life directly rather than sit back and talk about it. The experiences he treasured most were those he shared with his loved ones. Luis Avila will be greatly missed.