Jose Luis Cualio Urizar

Born in a small Guatemalan farm town called Zacualpa Quiche on August 19, 1939 Jose Luis Cualio Urizar began his journey through life. Jose was the sixth of nine children to farmers Rumaldo Cualio Giron and his wife Gregoria Urizar de Cualio. Rumaldo Cualio, a hard working Italian man, raised his nine children; Arturo, Andres, Ramon, Rosa, Teresa, Jose Luis, Maria Luisa, Francisco and Blanca Zenaida in a very disciplined way. It was from here that Jose Luis learned much of his punctuality.

Jose Luis, after leaving home at the age of 16, decided to move to a city west of Guatemala City called Quetzaltenango. There he became a truck driver for a small local company for a few months until Jose Luis moved on to driving a bus for several more years. He enjoyed his job, but yearned to get a college education in bible studies in Salvadore, San Salvadore Central America, that lasted nearly two years. He eventually enlisted in the military where he spent many years at La Guardia Presidencial of El Palacio Nacional de Guatemala in the Investigations Department. The present government at the time was overthrown by a coup. He quickly realized he loved driving around his country. To his credit, somewhere in between all that driving he met his first wife in a small town called Capuchinas, Quiche Maria Luisa Giron and had me, the oldest son Henry Cualio Giron and then two years later my sister Miriam Yohanna Cualio Giron.

Six years later he got a divorce and re-married to Aura Marina Salan. Together they had three children Herberth Geovany, Julio Roberto and Flor de Maria. Jose Luis as a popular truck/bus driver traveling the countryside had other children along the way with Rosa Perez and their names are Otilia Maribel and Kenneth Samuel. Soon he made the decision he wanted to become a business owner so he bought his first bus, and then a few more. Years after, the civil war breaks out in Guatemala and Jose Luis migrates to the United states, to the city of Portland, Oregon during the 1980's. He lived and worked here on and off as an industrial journeyman for 30 years. Once he realized he could no longer work as hard as he had in his younger years he retired at the age of 62.

On February 12, 2016, Jose Luis was surprised by a heart attack and passed away. Jose Luis had many accomplishments throughout his life including being recognized many times by the community, employers and his church. One of his proudest accomplishments was when he received his U.S. Citizenship and his Naturalization Certificate. Further accomplishments undoubtedly where the times when he helped the homeless, migrant workers and the less fortunate. The satisfaction of helping people in general everywhere he went.

Jose Luis Cualio was a very loving father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, uncle and father-in-law. We will miss his charismatic personality, his smile, his hot temper a times, his wisdom, advice and his piercing green eyes when he looked at you. I will miss the times we spent together traveling the different places of Guatemala and in the U.S. as a child and the times we got together with my children and the grandchildren as we both became old men. Until we see each other in the afterlife my dear father.

Your Oldest Son Henry.