Eugene D. Aparisio

Gene was born on January 11, 1941 in Los Angeles, California to Eugene Joseph Aparisio and Candelaria Martinez. In his teenage years, he worked at Disneyland as a caricature artist. He graduated from Compton High School in 1958, where he was a member of their basketball team that won a California state championship. Gene joined the U.S. Navy after his graduation, serving honorably as a Navy Corpsman for several months on the USS Shangri-La, an aircraft carrier operating out of San Diego, California. One of the thrills of his lifetime was being launched from the carrier in a fighter jet to be taken to the U.S. Naval Hospital in San Diego where he was needed to assist the doctors there. Several months later, he was transferred to the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, California to serve the remainder of his Navy enlistment as a Field Medic and Dental Technician.

Gene's first marriage was to Suzanne Moore in 1961. From that union, three children were born, a daughter and two sons.

One of Gene's passions was working on and driving race cars as a hobby. In the 1960's, he joined Carroll Shelby's team, working on carburetors and occasionally getting to drive one of Shelby's Cobra race cars for testing purposes. He also enjoyed going to car road races at Riverside Raceway and Laguna Seca Raceway in California. Using his military medical experience, he worked as a laboratory technician at the Lab of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Biology at UCLA . Subsequently, he trained at UCLA to

become a Respiratory Therapist, a then newly recognized healthcare profession. In that profession, he worked at several hospitals in the Los Angeles area. One of his most significant contributions was working for seven years in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units, doing his best to save the lives of premature infants.

He also attended various California junior colleges in the Los Angeles area, always pursuing broader knowledge in the pursuit of

a Bachelor's degree. In 1978, Gene moved to Colorado to finish his Bachelor of Arts degree at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. He majored in Philosophy and minored in World Religions. There were many weekly significant and wide-ranging discussions amongst him and his fellow students over refried beans and margaritas at a local Mexican restaurant. Gene received his

degree in May, 1983. That education gave him a broad worldview of religion, and he decided to pursue seminary training in Boston, Massachusetts at Andover Newton Theological School in late 1983. He enjoyed attending various classes at Harvard University and Boston College,and he also served as a student minister at a local church, educating the congregation with his broader religious view. He also worked at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston as a

Respiratory Therapist.

In late 1985, Gene moved back to Colorado to pursue a Master's degree from the Religious Studies Department at the University of Colorado, Boulder. His area of study was Mesoamerican history from a religious and cultural anthropology viewpoint. He was both a

student and a teaching assistant under the direction of David Carrasco, PhD, the founder of the Mesoamerican Archive there. Exploration of Aztec temples and research in the National Museum in Mexico City were highlights of his studies. Gene completed his Master's degree in 1990 and also received a teaching credential from the School of Education at CU. His high school teaching career in the field of history was significant because he championed the education of at-risk students, acting as their mentor and encouraging them to be their best. Years later, former students would thank him for his impact on their lives.

In 1986, Gene married his second wife, Diane Inglish, whom he met in California many years earlier. Their marriage of 39 years was enriched by their two children, a son and a daughter.

They had many family adventures and travels together, creating great memories for them all. Gene was a man of many talents. He was passionate about learning and teaching, he used his medical talents to save countless lives, and he was always ingenious when solving problems. He enjoyed camping, walking his dogs, drawing, doing mechanical work on cars, solving crossword puzzles, and coaching youth soccer teams for over 40 years.

Gene is survived by his wife, Diane Aparisio; his children, Sheri Hart (Kenny), Michael Aparisio, and Mark Aparisio from his first marriage and Mateo Aparisio and Sararosa Aparisio from his second marriage; his grandson, Travis Galbraith (Kristin) and their two children; inlaws Dave Inglish (Chris), Barbara Dorrell (Jack), and Dan Inglish (Colleen); numerous nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews; and his beloved two Siberian Huskies and

three cats.

His love and smile and intelligence will be greatly missed by his family, but he leaves many wonderful memories to be thought of in the coming years.

Per Gene's wishes, no funeral or memorial service will be held. His ashes will be scattered later at a favorite place in the Rocky Mountains. His lasting wish is for you to pursue your dreams and be the best that you can be.

If you so choose, please make a donation in Gene's honor to your favorite charity.