Ernest M. Vasquez

He moved to Mexico when he was nine and lived on a ranch in La Union, Jalisco, Mexico until the age of fifteen. He came back to Los Angeles where he worked in several different jobs. He went into the Army in 1952 and he was a member of the 82nd Airborne Unit as a paratrooper. He completed basic training in 1954. In 1955, he married Guillermina Hernandez in Tijuana, Mexico and began his life as a husband and a father. Ernie and Guille celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary on December 18, 2011. They had six children: Carmen, Ernie, Albert, Willy, Rosana and Audrey.

Ernie moved to San Diego in 1960 and this is where he raised his family and worked with Mission Valley Landscape. He retired in 1996. Ernie had a ranch in Rosarito, Mexico where he raised cattle and pigs and grew barley. He loved working on his ranch and for years he had a Fourth of July party for his family and friends at the ranch. Ernie also loved to fly and he owned a Cessna Airplane for several years.

Ernie was a generous man who loved his family. He was preceded in death by his daughter Carmen and son Ernie. He is survived by his wife, Guillermina, his son and daughter-in-law Albert and Linda Vasquez, his son Willy Vasquez, his daughter Rosana French and his daughter and son-in-law Audrey and Jon Forte. He has 7 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild; Andrew Sagebiel his wife Katy and their son Mikey, Wesley and Raymond Sagebiel, Chelsea and Andrea French and Jared and Jacob Forte. Ernie is also survived by his sisters, Geraldine Brockway, Esther Dumais and Ruth Height and brothers, Lester and Hank Vasquez.

Visitaiton will be on Monday, April 30, 2012 from 3 - 7 p.m. with a Vigil Service at 6:30 p.m. at Conrad Lemon Grove Mortuary (7387 Broadway - Lemon Grove, CA 91945). Funeral Mass will be on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 - 10:30 a.m. at Holy Cross Mausoleum Chapel (4470 Hilltop Drive - San Diego, CA 92102). Burial will follow the Mass at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Eternal rest grant Ernest, O Lord.

May he rest in peace. Amen.

May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.