Emilio Javier Urioste Jr.

He passed away at home on June 4, 2021 after an 11-month battle with leukemia.

Emilio and his family immigrated to the United States in 1965, when he was 5 years old.

The family settled in Huntington Park until 1977 when the family moved to Vista, California.

Emilio graduated from Vista High School in 1979. He has a BA in History from Cal Poly Pomona and a Masters in Education from Cal State Los Angeles.

As a young boy, he was active in church, played baseball and was a great bowler.

Always the big brother and leader from a young age; as a young boy he organized the neighborhood kids to sing Christmas carols for neighbors. As a teen, he became involved in youth ministry. He loved Christ and was a student of the bible.

Emilio spent his career as a dedicated educator. He taught high school Spanish early in his career at Rancho Cucamonga High School. He then spent the next 30 years with Burbank Unified School District.

He spent almost twenty years at Burroughs High School in Burbank, first as an engaging high school Spanish teacher and then as the beloved Principal. He was very involved in all aspects of the Burroughs high school community, supporting all of the various student activities from drama, show choir, to football. He on occasions served as an announcer at athletic events. He was a passionate and caring educator. His career also included serving as an Assistant Superintendent for Secondary education. In the last 6 years he was the Director of the Burbank Adult School. He truly loved being on campus and interacting with the students, teachers, staff, and parents. This education community in Burbank were considered his “family.” He had many colleagues who became his good friends and he shared a wonderful career and life with them. For Emilio, this was not just a job, it was what he truly loved to do.

For him, service was paramount and he did so proudly not only for his school district but for his community, as well.

In addition to his passion for education, Emilio loved his family. He had a wonderful bond with his loving parents, Emilio Sr. and Aurora and his beloved grandmother/godmother, Aurora. He also had a loving relationship with his sister, brother, and his niece and nephews. He enjoyed spending holidays and special times with his family. He was a great mentor and inspiration for his niece and nephews.

In the last 8 years, Emilio and his partner Jacob shared a lovely life together. They enjoyed going out to dinner, taking walks, going to church, and traveling. They especially loved their yearly trip each summer to Cape Cod. Their relationship is a true testament to love and commitment.

Emilio loved history, reading, going to Dodgers baseball games, biking, cars, and traveling.

His incredible work ethic and love for life was instilled in him by his loving parents. He did not take anything for granted and was humbled that he was given the opportunity to live a beautiful life in the United States. He was very thankful and blessed that his parents had the courage to leave all that they knew in Cuba to make a better life for him and his siblings. He was proud of his Cuban background and loved to share its history with family and friends. Like his father, he had an incredible memory and provided many family stories around the dinner table.

We are saddened by the loss of our beloved Emilio. He was taken too soon from us. We take solace that he is now with his Lord and Savior. We are so proud of Emilio and the life he led. The many people he inspired as a man of God, an educator, as a partner, son, brother, grandson, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend.

A colleague described Emilio as serious on the outside but was a caring person inside. This truly reflects our beloved Emilio. He will always be remembered as an inspiration to many. God blessed him with a gift which he was able to use to its fullest and this will continue to live on.

In the last few months, Emilio said many times during prayer sessions that he was so appreciative for each person God placed in his life and was blessed by what each brought to him in each of their own way. These statements are so reflective of his humility and how he approached life and those around with respect, love, and integrity.

Emilio is predeceased by his parents, Emilio Sr., and Aurora, his grandmother Maria and grandmother Delia. He is survived by his partner Jacob Vance of Valencia, CA, his sister Alicia Skow (brother-in-law Randy) of San Marcos, CA, brother Eric Urioste of West Covina, niece Gabrielle Skow, and nephews Christian Skow and William Skow, along with his aunts, Uncles, cousins and extended family and friends.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 19th at 11am at Hollywood United Methodist Church,

6817 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles, CA. Graveside internment on Monday, June 21st at Eternal Hills, Oceanside, CA.

Family requests donations in his honor in lieu of flowers to the following charities near to his heart:

Hollywood United Methodist Church, Unitarian Universalist Meeting House of Provincetown, MA,

Boys Town, St. Joseph’s Indian School, Companions of St. Anthony (Ellicott City, MD), Priests of the Sacred Heart (Hales Corners, WI), Team HOPE relay for Life: http://main.acsevents.org/go/teamhopeburbank