Felipe Loera Diaz

Felipe Loera Diaz was a natural leader whose winning presence allowed him to take control of various situations with ease. Equipped with a clear and calculating focus, he possessed a tough-minded, “take charge” attitude. He had the ability to make even routine situations seem exciting, and he was at ease with the role of playing problem solver. Felipe always sought out the scene of where the action was. Sociable, analytical and pleasant, Felipe was an individual who enjoyed life’s challenges.

His parents were Pedro and Natividad Diaz. Felipe was born and raised in Corales, Zacatecas, Mexico. Always able to express himself well, Felipe possessed strong interpersonal skills. He was optimistic in his outlook on life and was able at all times to be open and direct in his communication. Armed with a great wit, Felipe was raised to be accepting of others and to implement a strong personal work ethic.

Blessed with a balanced attitude, Felipe was able to relate well with others. His occasional role as family mediator gave him the opportunity to ease tense situations when they occurred. Felipe was raised with eight siblings. He had three sisters, Elisa, Petra, and Isabella, and five brothers, Catrino, Santiago, Anselmo, Pedro, and Guillermo. Felipe had a strong desire to be treated fairly and would readily offer others the same fairness in return.

As a young child, Felipe showed his creative ability in many ways. He was outgoing and animated. Felipe enjoyed new activities and pursued a variety of interests, which included soccer.

Friends and acquaintances found Felipe an easy man to get to know, and those close to him would often praise his open, practical style of communication and relaxed approach to life in general. Felipe was uncomplicated and straightforward in his relationships, which allowed him to accept people for what they were. Later in life, he became friends with Secundino Hernandez, Manuel Rodriguez, Serafin Quinternar, Jose Beltran, and Pillar Reyes.

On March 9, 1976 Felipe exchanged wedding vows with Lucy Rivera at the Sacred Heart Church of San Jose, California. Felipe was attentive to Lucy's feelings, and he charmed Lucy and others with his gift for being able to give freely and generously. A good listener with an engaging personality, Felipe was able to bring pleasure and unexpected humor to the relationship.

Very much like a kid himself, Felipe identified with the inquisitive and creative side of his children’s personalities. He was able to direct his energy and spontaneity towards helping his children acquire added common sense skills. Felipe was blessed with two sons, Felipe and Gabriel. He was also blessed with eleven grandchildren, Nichole, Gabriel, Melissa, Issac, Isreal, Elena, Maddy, Ebony, Elizabeth, Steven and Stephanie.

Felipe was a flexible worker who was able to draw the best from others around him. A persuasive individual who was quick to make necessary decisions, Felipe’s strengths included being able to think on his feet. He could be a leader who sought impact for his decisions. Gifted with an incredible ability to read body language, Felipe was able to positively manipulate situations and motivate others in order to get a task completed. He was a good negotiator who enjoyed new challenges. Felipe could multi-task, and he was endowed with entrepreneurial spirit, allowing him to think beyond standard norms when it came to resolving issues in his work environment. His primary occupation was as a machinist and welder. He was employed for 25 years by Kaiser Cement.

Because he liked to take risks, Felipe was a perfect match for athletics and exercise. He was enthusiastic and confident about these activities. Recreational sports included dancing and walking. Felipe was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football, baseball, soccer, and boxing.

When Felipe’s retirement finally came in 2000, he was well prepared. He used logical analysis of his retirement options in order to ensure his retirement would be fulfilling. Still, he was able to easily adapt to possible changes and enjoyed just having fun and being relaxed. In retirement, he found new pleasure in staying active in church.

Felipe passed away on July 8, 2010 at his home in San Jose, California. He is survived by his wife Lucy Diaz; his sons, Felipe and Gabriel; and his grandchildren Nichole, Gabriel, Melissa, Issac, Isreal, Elena, Maddy, Ebony, Elizabeth, Steven and Stephanie. Services were held at Oak Hill Funeral Home in the Chapel of the Oaks. Felipe was laid to rest in Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose, California.

Felipe was the kind of person who could win others over easily. A concrete communicator, he relied on his senses to increase his involvement and awareness of others. He was always able to provide amusing repartee to his friends and acquaintances, offering a seemingly endless supply of quips, anecdotes, jokes and stories. If Felipe had a theme song written about him, it might well have been “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” He enjoyed his life and the experience of living it. This is how everyone will remember Felipe Loera Diaz.