Dad was born in El Paso, TX on August 18, 1943. He was the oldest of three children born to Victoria López del Corral and Isidro López Estrada. He grew up surrounded by an extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins as well as visits to his paternal grandparents’ ranch, where his grandfather was the town’s blacksmith. Stories from his childhood are filled with anecdotes of leading his brother Hector and the neighborhood kids in pretend war battles and pirate mutinies, a variety of pets, and a love of superhero comic strips. After graduating from Christian Brothers High School in El Paso, he joined the Air Force where he was selected to train in radar and mainframe computing and was posted at the Almaden Air Force radar station in San Jose, CA while attending San Jose State University.
His Air Force training led to a 35-year career in technology that provided the opportunity to live abroad - first in Mexico City and then in Venezuela for 11 years before returning to the U.S. in 1981. The years in Venezuela stand out as among the happiest. Dad loved the people, the climate and the food; There were few times my Dad was more content than when he was relaxing under a palm tree in one of Venezuela’s beautiful beaches.
He was a life-long learner. After retiring from computing, he went on to earn his MBA from Heriot Watt University in Scotland and became a certified financial planner. He also had a life-long interest in WWII planes and had just finished writing a book about the three American Air Force fighter aircraft that played a vital role in the American campaign in Europe.
Dad also became an avid skier right up until his cancer diagnosis- when asked during health check ups if he’d had any falls, he’d answer, “Only skiing”. He did a couple of Outward Bound excursions in his 40s and later went on to solo climb Mount Baker in Washington State. He also learned to sail and took up fencing during his time in Scotland.
Most of all he loved being a father and grandfather. He consistently traveled several times a year just to visit or attend birthdays, recitals, soccer games, holidays and graduations, always making sure to keep up with his young granddaughters’ latest interests.
He is survived by his only daughter Deborah and her husband Andrew, grand-daughters Audrey and Sophie, his sister Gloria (Vicky) and her husband Ted, his ex-wife of 27 years, Ivonne, a maternal aunt and many cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents, Victoria and Isidro Lopez and his brother, Hector Lopez.
