Modest. Intelligent. Noble. These are trademark qualities that friends and family would use to describe Journey Ortiz Dominguez. Journey was an intuitive person. He dared to ask questions, and had the wit to think for himself. Always conscientious and focused on details, Journey was a person who
loved to imagine the possibilities of life.
Journey was born to Vince and Orange Dominguez on February 21, 2000 at the US Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Japan. He was raised in Okinawa, Japan, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Portland, Texas, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Journey did not have to surround himself with people to be content. He was the type of person who could enjoy time to himself, but could also find joy in simple company of a few good friends. He spent his time learning extensively about things he enjoyed the most-- music, movies, and books. He was the kind who always acquired not just breadth, but depth to all he chased knowledge about, and
was a true formulator of original thought.
Journey grew up with one sibling. He had one older sister, Sunshine. He always impressed her with how much he knew about, and how he was able to converse with such grace and maturity for his age. He rarely shied away from family discussions. He and his sister often debated, and if it did turn into an
argument, Journey was a careful listener. He often listened to understand, rather than listened to respond. Still, he was able to respond with his own opinions and was not easily swayed without good reason. Rarely would these discussions end on a sour note. They always concluded with gains of a newfound perspective, if not an agreement. He was raised in a loving family that had their own quirky dynamic, and shared many memorable experiences together.
In grade school, Journey gravitated toward others who shared similar interests and enjoyed academics more than physical education. He was always curious about what made things work, and he would excel at the things that called more for "brain" power. Journey occasionally took part in table tennis and billiards. He delighted in the projects that required planning, exploration and solution. Journey's memorable achievements included participating in his school spelling bee and he was the schools representative at UNLV's science project fair. As was evident by those who knew him, his most
fun was to be found in books and in research.
Although Journey had a small group of friends, they were a close knit group and he enjoyed spending time with them. He liked to be able to engage them in discussions on the many topics he found interesting. Those who knew him outside his family would agree he was a good listener who could bring out a type of understanding from those around him that even surprised them. He was passionate in his commitments and would go out of his way to be there for those he cared about. Growing up, some of his best friends were Caevee, Kavika, Tyler, Victor, Ian, and Chris. He cherished many wonderful connections with those of all different cities and background, such as “the online squad” which included Aya, Josh, Katie, Vishal, Sarah, & Omar; as well as Mallorey, Cassaondra, Arian, and Milkii.
Hobbies were more than fun for Journey because he challenged himself to learn the theory behind the actual activity. Knowing how things worked was more incentive than just performing and completing the task. His favorite pursuits were computers, video games, Pokémon cards, and Rubik’s Cubes.
Journey's faith helped him remain focused on the needs and concerns of others. These values brought him strength and helped to reinforce the importance of both his faith and the practice of his religion. He was a member of the Royal Rangers for three years, ICLV Youth for four years, and took many life lessons and experiences from his time and incredible leadership from Riverview Christian Academy in Redding, CA.
Journey was not someone who did things because he expected something in return. In fact, accepting recognition from others was sometimes difficult for him. People who knew Journey recognized his quiet strength and his practical, logical, and discerning abilities. Journey enjoyed the rain, Disney pin collecting, traveling, and family vacations. Favorite vacations included Disneyland, Hawaii, and Sea World.
Journey especially enjoyed spending time with his pets. He could spend hours in private thought with his faithful companion by his side or in his lap. One of Journey's favorites was Ellie, a rescued mini Chihuahua /Golden Retriever mix. Ellie would sleep outside Journey’s door any time he was away, while Journey kept her as his wallpaper. They were best of friends for two years.
Journey Ortiz Dominguez passed away on August 22, 2018 at UMC Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is survived by his father Vince Dominguez, mother Orange Dominguez, and his sister Sunshine Dominguez. Journey's memory will be cherished by his large extended family and friends. Services were held at Palm Northwest Mortuary in Las Vegas, Nevada. Journey was laid to rest in Palm Northwest Cemetery in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Those who knew and loved Journey will miss his quiet gentleness, his curiosity and his ability to be fully present and enjoy life’s best moments. He leaves all those who knew him with many wonderful memories. He will never be forgotten, and his life will be cherished by those who knew and loved him unconditionally.
