Born in 1937 in Meoqui, Chihuahua, a small town 75 km southeast of Chihuahua City, Julia traveled northward as a child when her extended family began their trek back to their native New Mexico in the late 1940s. The Morales family had left New Mexico during the Great Depression and settled in Chihuahua where they could farm and earn a living. On their way back to New Mexico, her grandparents, aunts and uncles first moved to Cd. Juárez before their eventual returned to La Union, NM. But Julia’s mother, Beatriz, remained in Cd. Juárez. There Julia attended and completed her primary and secondary education. During those years, she helped raise her sister Lupita while their mother worked in El Paso and California.
In 1954, Julia met and married Arturo Vásquez-Cruz. While living in Cd. Juárez, they began family life with their three children Arturo, Beatriz Armida and Juanita. Arturo Sr. loved living in Cd. Juárez and working in El Paso, but Julia envisioned a life and education for their children in the United States. She persistently argued for their immigration to El Paso. In December 1960, the family applied for and obtained U.S. residency with assistance from Julia’s U.S.-born mother and Arturo’s job as a master carpenter working in El Paso’s burgeoning construction industry.
Although Julia wanted to look for a job once in El Paso, she agreed with her husband to dedicate herself to raising their children at home. Elvia and Manuel were born in the early 1960s.
As a homemaker, Julia was intent on building a rich home environment for her children. She enjoyed and exposed the children a diverse array of music, collected LP releases from the top Mexican recording artists of the time and ventured into other musical forms, adding to her collection all of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass’ albums. She loved and cared for many animals and had many pets including parakeets, tropical fish and her favorite mascots—stray dogs. And during the course of the decades she endeavored to master Mexican cuisine. From the basic fare of tacos and enchiladas to the more challenging chiles rellenos, tamales and pastries, her cooking earned rave reviews from family, friends and strangers.
Julia became an avid reader, particularly in her later years. Well versed in the Bible as a work of literature, she delved into the scriptures for spiritual guidance. She practiced and believed in the healing power of prayer. Julia also had an impeccable memory and was able to recite many Psalms with poetic grace. She also enjoyed other works of fiction. Isabel Allende was one of her favorite authors. She read Pablo Neruda, Don Miguel Ruiz, Deepak Chopra, Louise Hay, Neale Donald Walsch, and others.
Above all, Julia loved life and people, especially children. Consistently, family and friends mention Julia’s unconditional love and kindness first as her best qualities. You never heard from Julia a disparaging remark about anyone. Several times during the year she arranged donations of clothing and other goods for the needy through church organizations in Cd. Juarez. One of her most enjoyable undertakings was her annual Christmas Gift Bag Project, which delivered scores of gift bags for children in Juárez.
For Julia, life was a celebration. Music, good food and conversation, her quick wit and whimsical sense of humor were served up daily in her home for family and visitors alike.
Julia is survived by her sons and daughters Arturo, Beatriz, Juanita, Elvia, and Manuel; her grandchildren, Albert, Benji, Ileana, Alejandro, Manolo, Clarissa and Esteban; her great granddaughters Alyssandra and Leana; her nieces Audrey and Tanya, and Esteban, her nephew; her beloved canines Kiki, Jack, and Blu; and predeceased by her husband Arturo Vásquez-Cruz, her mother Beatriz Puso and her sister Lupita Araiza.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Humane Society of El Paso, 4991 Fred Wilson Ave, El Paso, TX 79906, (915) 532-6971.
