Harry William Camacho

Thank you all for coming today to show your love, prayers and condolences for my husband. I don't have to explain how Harry was to anyone in this room, but looking at all he touched so many.

Everyone knows he was the greatest, kindness man on Earth. It only took meeting him once to remember him forever. He is and always will be my best friend and there will continually be a hole in my heart that will never heal. Harry was my soul-mate plain and simple his joy was with his children, grandchildren, family, friends and Karaoke.

It takes some people decades to find the person they were meant to be with. It takes other several tries to find them. And some, never do. I am one of those lucky few that found him on the first try.

All it took was one look and I knew he was the man I was meant to spend the rest of my life with for better or worse.

I didn't get the rest of my life, but I got the rest of his.

Our time together may have been cut short, but the happiness we shared together, will last a lifetime. I will mourn the loss of my husband, my best friend, my soul mate my everything. But I will find comfort and peace in the knowledge that he loves me to no end.

Harry always said, "God has a plan. We have to accept it and go with it." We don't know what God's plan is but its something special and that's why he needed the heart that as big as the world and sun open to and to everyone.

I will miss Harry until the day God calls me home and so will our children. But we will never feel alone because Harry has left behind a love that can not be broken.

Until we are together again, I'm not complete. I'm not Harry I'm merely here waiting my turn. Thank you for helping me find forever.

You have left me a piece of you in our children and grandchildren Izaiah, Dean, Ava, Olivia and Landon.

To the greatest, loving husband I love you then, always and forever yours. God Bless you and may you Rest in Peace babe.

Eulogy Read at Church Service:

We are gathered here today not only to honor Harry’s life, but to celebrate his life, while he was with us on Earth. For those of you who knew Harry, well you know, he was quite a character. He sure had a zest for life and I truly believe he lived life to the fullest.

Harry is survived by his wife Diana of over 39 years, two children, Joshua and Amanda and 5 grandchildren, Grandpa to Izaiah and Olivia Camacho and Abuelo to the Miller’s, Dean, Ava and Landon. And Father Gilbert Camacho Sr. and Brother to Gilbert Camacho Jr., his brother from another Mother, Edward De Leon. Not to mention, a few other family members that recognized Harry as our big brother, to Joanie, Joseph, Josie and I (Velma). He was a loving Uncle, Cousin, Godfather, Nephew, brother in law and friend to many.

Harry was born on Saturday, January 25th, 1958. Harry was the first generation and family member to set our roots in Los Angeles, CA. Prior Generations were born and raised in South Texas.

Harry’s early years, he was raised in Highland Park where he attended Garvanza Elementary, Luther Burbank Jr. High and graduated from Franklin High School.

Despite unforeseen obstacles Harry endured during his early life, he persevered. First loosing his Mother at the age of 4, from heart disease, then his Grandfather at the age of 9, to a heart attack, and then his Grandmother to several health issues, at the age of 17, while Harry was just beginning his senior year in High School. While family members did reach out to Harry to help with his living situation, for the most part he pulled through with his brothers by his side, Gilbert and Edward, and graduated from Franklin High School.

Shortly after High School graduation, Harry met a young lady at a Presentation/Quinceañera. Harry happen to be there with his band buddies. And as Diana puts it, Harry was holding up the wall, when the girls noticed him, the girls being Diana and Diana’s BFF Laura, A.K.A. "partner in crime". As Harry was approaching the girls table, Laura began kicking Diana under the table, saying "he’s coming, he’s coming”, that would be Harry. Harry was approaching the girls table (Diana said she had bruises on her legs for days from all the kicking). Harry walked up to the girls table and asked Diana to dance, Diana replied “who me”? They were only 18years old.

As the dating commenced, they both learned, they shared the same exact birthday; January 25th, 1958. Not only did they share the same exact birthday, Diana has a twin brother, David. It took quite a while for them to convince each other that their birthdays were legit. Now, if that is not fate, then I don’t know what is.

At the age of 19, Harry enlisted in the United States Navy. Later, Harry and Diana married at the age of 21, on April 27, 1979.

Then came the kiddies, Joshua (aka Papito) and Amanda (aka Gorda). They purchased their home in 1989, in Azusa, CA and reside there today.

Harry served his four years in the US Navy and received his honorary discharge. After serving the Navy Harry attended school, learning business, typewriter repairs and later computers. He worked for the L.A. Unified School District for 20 years and had planned to retire this past June 2018.

Harry was loving, kind, generous, thoughtful, and caring person. Family and friends meant a lot to him. If you needed help with anything, Harry would help in any way possible. Whether you needed a place to stay, money, or pitching in for a kitchen appliance that a family member desperately needed, he would help without hesitation. He was a jokester and had a love for music, singing and dancing. He loved to Karaoke.

One of my early childhood memories is Harry singing to an Elvis Presley song and holding a hairbrush in his hand as a microphone and Malenda and I were his go-go dancers, one of us on each side of him. We made our own little stage. Towards the last months of his life, we were reminiscing about our childhood days and although we came from humble beginnings, we knew we were quite loved and well taken care of. By our Grandparents and Uncle Ray and later other family members would come in to play. But those early childhood days in Highland Park, 6119 Mesa Ave. I will treasure forever. At the time, I didn’t know it, but those would come to be some of my happiest memories in my life.

Another early childhood memory is when Harry and Edward decided to remove the training wheels from my bike. When they let the bike and me go, I fell off the bike, scraped my knees, I was bleeding and crying. Before I could run to tell my Grandmother what they did, they bribe with a Hershey Bar to keep me quiet. Well, thanks guys, over 50 years, I love Hershey Bars. Harry also taught me how to drive a car. Where else, but on Mesa Ave. Highland Park. I will miss our Saturday morning chats. Harry would make a point to keep in touch on Saturday mornings, sometimes I would be working and return his call when I left work. We always remained close, we traveled together and attended many concerts together. One of the concerts I recall was the Eagles, when they reopened the Forum in January 2014, this was an awesome concert.

The jokes continued to the end, even when the Doctor was going over Harry’s nutrition, about eating berries, Harry replied, “yes, Blueberries, Red berries, Black berries and Chuck Berry”.

Harry loved and cherished his family. I cannot express the love he and Diana shared. Diana was an Angel during Harry’s illness and would not allow Harry to spend one night alone, whether he was in ICU, a regular hospital room or at the Rehabilitation facility. Diana spent many uncomfortable nights, sleeping on chairs and on a cushion on the floor. What a remarkable woman. The hospital staff were amazed and had never witnessed a wife go to the extent that Diana went through, staying by her husband’s side, day and night. God bless you Diana. One of the last nights before Harry’s passing, I said to him, “Okay, I am leaving now, and I am going to leave you alone with your Bride”. The smile he gave was priceless. And one of the last kisses I witnessed was so SWEET, he was so sick, but made an extra effort to give that kiss as he lifted head from the pillow. What a beautiful marriage we witnessed and watch their love grow and was special until the end, until they meet again.

Harry’s love and warmth will live on through his children, grandchildren, his son in law Steven Miller and Jessica Rosales. Harry and I have always felt that our passed loved ones have always looked out for us, and now Harry, has joined the group of Angels that will oversee our families. Harry will remain in our hearts forever.

God bless you and I love you. Until we meet again, my Brother, Peace, out!

Harry use to end our conversations with Peace, out!

Love you, Your Sis, Velma