Alejandro Villegas Lopez peacefully passed away alongside his family on the morning of January 5th, 2020. He is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Alma Belia Buelna de Villegas; his children Alma, Alex, Jorge and Teresa; sons-in-law David and Gustavo and daughter in-law Claudia; grandchildren David, Natalia, Sarah and Citlahli and Pilar, nieces and nephews Gloria and Christopher and Jaime, Enrique, Francisco, Marcella and John Charles all who will miss him tremendously. Raised in Zacatecas and Sonora Mexico, he immigrated to the United States in 1974. Son of Jose Antonio and Anastacia Villegas brother to Paulita, Julian, Pepe, Rey and Guadalupe, Papá, was an incredibly charismatic person with an ability to engage those around him through his knack of storytelling. He lived a fully realized, amazing 87 year life.
As a child, he was born and lived on estación la Colorado, Zacatecas, in a rancho hacienda where he enjoyed playing with red soil, swimming, riding horses and having many wonderful adventures in the outdoors. At the age of 14, his family moved to Hermosillo, Sonora where he graduated high school. He was smart and extremely resourceful. He served in the Mexican military, and in his twenties, joined the UNESCO's World Malaria Eradication Campaign (Campaña del Paludismo) for Latin America, where he toured with his peers throughout the northern Mexico states of Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuhua, Coahila, Nuevo Léon, Durango and Tamaulipas to combat the Malaria crisis. He then returned to Sonora and helped run the family business.
He soon married his loving wife, Alma Belia Buelna Moraga: the newlyweds moved to Baja California, Ensenada where they started their family. Shortly after, an opportunity arose where he followed his sisters who had already immigrated to the USA, in the San Gabriel Valley, California. Once in the USA, he worked several short stints as a dishwasher, as contract labor for the aerospace industry. This opportunity eventually landed him a position as a machinist at Sierra Madre Engineering which merged with Scott Aviation Corporation where he was ascended as the Machinist for the Research and Development engineering team.
He enjoyed spending time with his family, friends and work colleagues - and on the weekends would visit California beaches and museums [LACMA, Huntington Library, Self Help Graphics & Art] as well as The Arboretum to walk through beautiful gardens and nature. He loved punctuality and was a reliable, dependable and friendly person. He enjoyed being actively involved in his children's activities in school, boy scouts, swimming teams, studio art and music classes/recitals and performances. He loved animals and pets - who seemed to understand his "language", which was due to his time of living on the rancho. He was always welcoming to neighborhood kids to join in on our family festivities and fun.
After raising his kids and during his retirement, he and his wife frequented Baja California often where he visited with his old neighbors, friends and businesses. He loved going to Ensenada's famous fish market to enjoy their delicious Baja tacos. He also volunteered and became politically involved, issuing related ballots by canvassing, phone banking and getting the vote out.
Our father was a humble adventurer who loved seeing new faces and places. Above all else, dad was a devoted Catholic who put his kids through San Gabriel Mission High School, Don Bosco Technical Institute and Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente ITESO. He would also accompany his wife on her many lecture reading commitments.
What will remain with us is our father’s love, kindness, generosity, open heartedness, jokes, elegance and laughter. We know he is with his parents and siblings now, and we pray that he will show us the way home when it is our time.
Visitation Services will take place at Pierce Brothers Turner & Stevens Mortuary(1136 Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776) on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, from 6-9pm - with Rosary Service from 7-7:30pm. The Funeral Mass will be held at 11:30am at San Gabriel Mission (The Old Mission) (428 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel CA 91776) on Wednesday, January 15, 2020. Graveside Service will take place at Resurrection Cemetery (966 N. Potrero Grande Drive, Rosemead, CA 91770) on Wednesday, January 15, 2020, from 1pm. Reception to follow services.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.6