To Leonel Silva Acevedo, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Leonel, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Leonel really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.
Leonel was born on March 15, 1938 at home in Jalisco, Mexico. His parents were Rafael and Ofelia Acevedo. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.
Always a good playmate, Leonel was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Leonel managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Leonel was raised with nine siblings. He had seven brothers, Atilano, Rafael, Adan, Arnulfo, Eleazar, Vitalino, and Jesus, and two sisters, Soledad, and Arcelia.
All of Leonel's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Leonel experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in soccer.
The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Leonel very easy to approach. On June 24, 1959 Leonel exchanged wedding vows with Arcelia Chavez at San Pasqual of Valle De Juarez, Jalisco, Mexico. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.
Perhaps the reason Leonel related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Leonel was blessed with eight children, four sons, Armando, Louie, Richard, Pancho, and four daughters, Leonila, Maribel, Cecilia, and Virginia. They were also blessed with seventeen grandchildren, Nadine, Armando, Amanda, Joseph, Andrew, Adriana, Angelina, Anthony, Lizette, Alexis, Corina, Jessica, Viviana, Alexandra, Brittnie, Efrain, and Christian. Leonel had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Leonel's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Leonel had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.
At work, as in life, Leonel was a real “people person.” he had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Leonel liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Leonel was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Leonel's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Leonel as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was a finisher in construction.
Leonel enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Leonel liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were taking care of his fruit trees and gardening. Leonel was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.
Leonel felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Leonel loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Leonel relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Leonel never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Recreational sports included soccer. Leonel was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were soccer.
Living life in the fast lane suited Leonel just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included (Fair) Valle De Juarez, Jalisco, Mexico.
Leonel was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Leonel's favorites was a Chihuahua dog. They were best friends for 3 years.
Leonel believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 2000, Leonel took it in stride as one more way to have fun. His new life involved relocating to Monrovia, California. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Leonel remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, he found new pleasure in gardening at home. Even in retirement, Leonel continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.
Leonel passed away on November 20, 2010 at Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, California. Leonel fought a brave battle against diabetes. He is survived by his children Leonila, Armando, Maribel, Louie, Richard, Cecilia, Virginia, and Pancho; his 17 grandchildren; his brother Arnulfo, Vitaliano, Chuey, and Rafael. Services were held at Oakdale Mortuary. Leonel was laid to rest in Oakdale Memorial Park in Glendora, California.
Leonel brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Leonel Silva Acevedo lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.
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