Gustavo Salais

He entered this world on April 29, 1924 in San Juan, New Mexico. He was the only son of Juan Salaiz and Dolores Avalos.

He grew up a consummate outdoorsman and spent many autumns wondering his beloved mountains around Silver City, New Mexico, hunting deer and other game, but soon realized that his life would require a much greater territory to satisfy his love of adventure.

At the age of 17 Gustavo joined the United States Navy and spent the next 21 years of his life circumnavigating the globe in service of the country he loved so dear. From Corpus Christi, Texas to Subic Bay, Philippines and from Banana River, Florida to Guam and Japan, he served as a flight engineer first on Martin Mars Flying boats and later on the Super Constellation. He was quick to regale anyone who would listen with wildly fantastic stories of the things he saw and did through the Great War and Korea.

Gustavo was a hard, gruff man at cursory glance, but those that knew him and loved him, knew that he had a huge heart and would give you the shirt off his back if he felt you needed it more. To his children and grandchildren, he was a beacon of truth and virtue. He was a mentor and a hero, a shoulder to cry on, an outstretched hand, a stern dressing down, a pat on the back, a wry smile and simply an angel on earth trying to conceal his wings.

Today he is free to fly once again with those who preceded him in death, first and foremost, his beloved wife, Lucy Ann Salais, reunited at last. They can share God's heavenly abode with his half brother and sister, Frank Fletcher and Edna Utley.

Once retired for the Navy, Gustavo and family settled into Anaheim, Orange County, California, where once again, he became a career man for the State of California, helping those seeking a job with the Employment Development Department. He became a huge fan of the Anaheim Angels baseball team and an avid golfer, spending nearly all of his free time working to hone his golf skills at H.G. Dad Miller and Los Alamitos Naval Golf Course. Those fortunate enough to have joined him on a golf outing knew his true love of the game. He approached it with the same militaristic, mechanical precision that served as the foundation of his life. A life lived in full and without regret. A life where he was loved without measure and loved equally in return.

How could a man who gave so much to remember, ever be forgotten?

Gustavo was a parishioner of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Hemet, CA.

He is survived by his four loving daughters, Lucille Jeanette Boston, Mary Jane Langin, Elizabeth Ann Wisenor and Gloria Judith Hoch, his adoring 7 Grandchildren and 7 Great-grandchildren, the youngest of which will never fully understand or know what they have lost!