Jaime Luz Espinoza

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Jaime Luz Espinoza, it summarized in every way who he was. He was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him.

      Jaime was born on 20 de enero de 1923 at Mexico in Huanimaro, Guauajuato. He was the son of Rosario and Ajustin Espinoza. Raised in Mexico, he was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, he learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that he would carry with him throughout his life.

      As a young boy, Jaime was always aware of how others around him felt and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Jaime was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Jaime was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, Jaime also had the ability to relate well with his family and friends. Jaime was raised with Five. He had four brothers, Sabino, Sostenes and Feliberto and two sisters, Maximina and Onesima. Jaime was constantly involved in activities with his family. Jaime and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

      Most folks would say that Jaime was shy until they got to know him. Those who were privileged to know him well learned that he was a solid, good friend. Jaime was reluctant to generalize about people, and he based his friendships on his personal experiences. Because of this, Jaime best trusted those people that he truly knew. He was concerned about how those around him felt, and he always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. He could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that he made, Jaime kept. While growing up, some of his best friends were Refujio Contreras and Agapito Nunes. Later in life, he became friends with Unberto Rangel.

      Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Jaime. He was totally committed to Juana and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Jaime naturally sensed his spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Jaime disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

      Jaime was a good father to his children. He had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because he trusted emotions, Jaime was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way he seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around him, always thinking before acting. In addition, Jaime was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around him might be, he seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Jaime was blessed with Five Children, three sons, Hector, Gustavo and Paulo and two daughters Olga and Miriam. They were also blessed with seventeen grandchildren, Lupe, Jose, Jackie, Karina, Rolaudo, Jonathon, Hector Jr. Yvette, Gus Jr., Vanessa, Michael, Thalia, Jazagia, Stephanie, Joseph, Pablo and Erica.

      If you gave Jaime a deadline, he would meet it. At work, Jaime was always on task. Without hesitation, Jaime could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. His primary occupation was janitor. He was employed for Aerospace. During that time, Jaime excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. He was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Jaime was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Jaime had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. He was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

      Jaime liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Jaime's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Jaime preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were gardening and playing pool. Jaime was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying his hobbies all by himself and could often be found just reading about his favorite pastimes.

      While thorough and measured in his approach to things, Jaime often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. He was like that with sports. He also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, he was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were Angels' games.

      Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Jaime had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that he was the trip planner. He would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included trip to Mexico.

      Jaime had Toluca and Lobo, German Shepherds, who was his best friend for Toluca for 10 years and Lobo for 8 years. Jaime was as loyal to his pets as they were to him.

      When Jaime's retirement finally arrived in 1987, he was well prepared. He had taken the time to learn about his various options and chose his course wisely. His new life involved relocating to Anaheim. CA. In retirement, he found new pleasure in gardening. Even in retirement, Jaime continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him.

      Jaime passed away on 30 de julio del 2015 at The Pavillion in Fullerton, CA. He fought a battle against Cancer. He is survived by wife Juana, his children and grandchildren. Services were held at Waverley Chapel. Jaime was laid to rest in Fairhaven Memorial Park.

      It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Jaime was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Jaime was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. Jaime Espinoza was very literal with his words. You always knew where you stood with Jaime. He will be missed.