Celso B. Sanchez

Celso B. Sanchez 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 Celso’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. Celso was modest in his actions and extremely literal in his thoughts and in the manner in which he communicated with others. When Celso said something, he meant it. All those who knew him appreciated this trademark quality.

Celso was born on January 9, 1930 in Caloocan, Rizal, Philippines. His parents were Aurelio and Olympia Sanchez. Celso was raised in Caloocan, Rizal, Philippines. Even as a small child, Celso wanted to understand what was right and what was wrong in any given situation. As Celso 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 Celso well throughout his life and despite his natural shyness; he enjoyed a solid group of friends.

Since Celso 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. Celso was raised with three siblings. He had one sister, Epang, and two brothers, Ismail and Neea. Celso was constantly involved in activities with his siblings. Celso and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they shared many life experiences.

This same loyalty and up front honesty Celso shared with his friends carried over to other aspects of his life, including his relationships with his family. On January 10, 1958, Celso exchanged wedding vows with Amada Mateo at a Justice of the Peace in Cainta, Rizal, Philippines. The marriage became a solid relationship, due in part to Celso’s skill at bringing fresh energy and clarity to meeting Amada's needs. He was a great listener who enjoyed the couple’s “together” time, especially when it came to celebrating special occasions.

As the family grew, Celso was easily able to adapt to the changes and challenges of parenthood. Celso was blessed with two sons, Wilfredo Mateo Sanchez and Cirio Mateo Sanchez. They were also blessed with five grandchildren, Brittany, Joshua, Ryanne, Evan and Justin. Celso was never impulsive in dealing with family problems. Instead, he would carefully think things through before implementing the solution in a logical and objective manner. Celso was a strong, clear communicator who excelled at eliminating confusion by making matters crystal clear to all those involved. At the same time, Celso’s inventive nature could turn some of the boring old household chores into a fun activity for the family.

In his work life, Celso 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 Celso, 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, Celso 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 19 years by the United States Navy and 15 years by San Diego City Schools. Celso always made the effort to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Celso was a Navy veteran. He understood his duty to serve his country and the importance of getting a job done. He was comfortable with the routines of the military and even liked them to some degree, especially when it came to grasping the clear instructions and guidelines he was expected to follow. He enlisted on January 11, 1955. Celso saw action for Vietnam. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of SD2. He received several awards including a Good Conduct Medals.

Celso’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 fishing and bingo. Celso was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Celso 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. Celso was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were basketball, football and baseball.

Celso was an asset to any organization he joined. In many ways, he was a man of action who would rather tackle a job than spend time chatting about irrelevant things. He worked well on small committees and excelled at focusing on the important details without getting bogged down by the unnecessary parts of an assignment. Throughout his later years, Celso was an active member of the Knights of Columbus and the VFW.

Religion and faith were important to Celso. He held dear the faith and values he derived from his beliefs. He was a devoted member of the Catholic Church all his life. During that time, he was an usher at St. Mary's and St. Michael's and a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Celso 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 Favorite vacations included visiting his older son and his family in Herriman, Utah and going to the Philippines. He thoroughly enjoyed the task of gathering and analyzing travel information as he prepared for an upcoming trip.

Celso was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Celso’s favorites was Terry, a dog. They were best friends for 13 years. His family was rounded out by his other dog, Chase.

As his retirement approached, Celso viewed the event as just one more project to research and solve. So, when the day finally arrived on September 30, 1974 from the Navy and from San Diego City Schools on August 1, 1990, he was well prepared. In retirement, he found new pleasure in fishing and spending time with his grandchildren.

Celso passed away on February 10, 2010 at Mercy Hospital in San Diego, California. Celso suffered a severe stroke. He is survived by sons Wilfredo and Cirio; his daughters-in-law Candace and Stacey; his grandchildren Brittany, Joshua, Ryanne, Evan and Justin; his sister Epang; his brothers Ismail and Neea; his nieces and nephews; and his great nieces and nephews. Services were held at The Little Chapel of the Roses. Celso was laid to rest in Glen Abbey Memorial Park in Bonita, California.

Celso 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. Celso B. Sanchez will be greatly missed.