Juan Molina Meraz

Juan Molina Meraz was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him.

He was the son of Fidel and Refugio Molina. As a child, he learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that he would carry with him throughout his life.

As a young boy, Juan was always aware of how others around him felt and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Juan was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Juan was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, Juan also had the ability to relate well with his family and friends. Juan was raised with four siblings. He had Lino, Jose, Tino, and Enrique. Juan was constantly involved in activities with his family. Juan and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

Most folks would say that Juan was shy until they got to know him. Those who were privileged to know him well learned that he was a solid, good friend. Juan was reluctant to generalize about people, and he based his friendships on his personal experiences. Because of this, Juan best trusted those people that he truly knew. He was concerned about how those around him felt, and he always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. He could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that he made, Juan kept. While growing up, some of his best friends were Santiago, Silvestre, and Juan. Later in life, he became friends with Maximino.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Juan. It was as if Juan naturally sensed his spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Juan disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

Juan was a good father to his children. He had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because he trusted emotions, Juan was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way he seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around him, always thinking before acting. In addition, Juan was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around him might be, he seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Juan was blessed with eight children, Luis, Pascual, Fidel, Ricardo, Francisca, Juan, Antonio, Candelaria, and Virginia. They were also blessed with twenty two grandchildren, Pita, Juan Antonio, Cuca, Bea, Carlos, Tati, Edgar, Juan, Magda, Veronica, Alfonso, Titi, Juan, Patty, Letty, Patty, Roberto, Nelly, Marie, Ricardo, Celia, and Analilia.

If you gave Juan a deadline, he would meet it. At work, Juan was always on task. Without hesitation, Juan could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. His primary occupation was technician. He was employed for the Gas Company. During that time, Juan excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. He was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Juan was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Juan had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. He was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

While thorough and measured in his approach to things, Juan often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. He was like that with sports. He also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, he was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were baseball.

Juan had Pancho, a cat, who was his best friend for 2 years. Juan was as loyal to his pets as they were to him.

When Juan's retirement finally arrived in 1979, he was well prepared. He had taken the time to learn about his various options and chose his course wisely. His new life involved relocating to California. Even in retirement, Juan continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him.

Juan passed away on September 27, 2011 at Monterey Park Hospital. He is survived by Luis and Francisca, son and daughter, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren. Services were held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Covina, California. Juan was laid to rest in Oakdale Memorial Park in Glendora, California.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Juan was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Juan was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. Juan Meraz was very literal with his words. You always knew where you stood with Juan. He will be missed.