My uncle, Domingo Orozco, the last of six siblings and all their spouses, the last of his whole generation within our family, passed away one day shy of being 101 years old, a long life by any standard, and one lived by him with grace, gentleness, and love for family.  He embodied all the good qualities of the Orozco clan - kindness, generosity, goodness, good humor, and a clear-eyed and practical love extended to all who were family to him.  Also, in addition to these qualities, he also possessed the Orozco stubbornness, a deep and abiding stubborn will to survive and move family safely through troubles and troubling times, a quality born in the family’s past roots as ranchers and peasants in Mexico’s turbulent past, the entire family, grandparents, parents, and his oldest sister and brother, eventually all leaving the state of Michoacán to escape the violence of the Mexican Revolution.  It is these qualities, plus his genuine Catholic faith, that made him the kind and generous man he was to many. 
My uncle Mingo will be missed, because of the man that he was, because he was so much a part of the life of his family, and because he was also a calming and generous blessing to the larger extended Orozco family.  My cousin, Richard, and I traveled up from LA about two times a year to visit, and my uncle always greeted us warmly.  We then visited over parts of three days, usually enticing him out of the house a few times each visit with trips to his favorite Mexican or Chinese restaurant.  He also told me of early family life, his words always bringing the past of the family to vivid life.  He was a good man, and he is now at rest after ten years of deeply missing my aunt Dora, his beloved wife of 67 years.  And a final legacy of my uncle is the great value on family that he instilled in many, a legacy that will now bring us back to visit Angie and Tillie, our remaining cousins in Stockton, who also share the generous and warm qualities of their father, my uncle Mingo.


I remember in the early in the 70’s, when my Grandpa used to pick me up on the street sweeper on Saturday mornings and would take me on his rounds around my house.  It was probably around 7:30 in the morning.  That was fun and also playing pool.  He would call me “sapo”. 

I couldn’t have been very old, maybe 4 or 5. We were in Stockton to visit and Uncle Mingo asked me if I wanted to go with him to the store. I think maybe a hardware store.  He held my hand as we walked and he introduced me to his friends in the store. I felt so very special. I loved my Uncle with all my heart! 

Uncle Mingo was my favorite uncle, he was my Dad Leocadios’  younger brother. We visited him, my Aunt Dora and my cousins usually every summer on our way to some vacation spot.  He was the one who made menudo that I learned to love and he gave me his recipe although I don’t know that I ever did it justice. He was sweet, kind, soft spoken and a much appreciated blessing in my life. He and my aunt always made us feel welcome and although I tend to think that a horde of 6 (although well behaved) children descending on their household may have been a bit much, we never felt that way. 
I take comfort in knowing that he and my Dad are together once again, sharing stories and just being brothers. 

OBITUARY

Mr. Domingo H. Orozco

2 March, 1919 – 1 March, 2020

DeYoung Memorial Chapel

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