James was known by many names. Besides James, he was known as Dad, Grandpa, Grandpa Grandpa, Grandpa James, Tio Chino, and Chino.
He married our Grandma Ruth on May 11, 1952, and celebrated 71 years of marriage before our Grandma passed away on August 29, 2023. During their union, they had 5 children: Anita, Theresa, Daniel, Susan, and Patricia, 19 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren with another on the way.
Our Grandpa was a hard worker. Whether he was feeling well or not, he always made sure he got up every morning and worked to provide for his family. We always had everything we needed and, a lot of times, things we wanted. He used to leave us $.25 cents everyday during summer so we could buy a snow cone from the snow cone truck. If we needed money, he never hesitated to reach in his pocket and give you some of what he had. If you needed shoes, he made sure to tell our Grandma to take us to the mall and buy us a pair. Whether it was shoes or a jacket, or even a burrito after school, if we asked him for it, he would make sure we had it.
The thing about our Grandpa, it was never a “let me ask your Grandma if we can” kind of situation. He never checked with her, and she never checked with him. They just told one another "so and so needs a jacket, or pants, or shoes", and that evening after work, they were heading out to buy it, that’s just who they were.
If you ever had a quiz in high school and the question came up “when was Pearl Harbor attacked?” and you got the answer wrong, then you never listened to our Grandpa tell his stories. Because every time he told a story he would say, “I remember December the 7th, 1941, Pearl Harbor”. Our Grandpa was someone who made you laugh, would tell you an interesting story about his childhood, and would offer you sweets and snacks the whole time you were visiting.
Our Grandpa would make friends with anybody and everybody he saw. Whether it was sitting outside of Vons scratching a lottery ticket or tickets, or being at any sports event for the Grandkids, you would see him talking to someone as if he had known them his whole life. He had a friendly personality that automatically drew people to him.
Our Grandpa loved fishing and would love to spend the whole day of Saturday just hanging out at the end of the rocks at the beach catching fish and throwing them back. It was his way of getting away from it all and relaxing, because he knew we wouldn’t follow him out there.
As I said in our Grandma’s eulogy, we can spend all day and night talking about everything he did for all of us and how he accepted us as is. I know he is listening to this and smiling knowing we are here for him and making his final days before being laid to rest peacefully. Let us hold onto the memories we’ve made with him and the lessons he has taught us. Let us continue to spread the love he created within our family. Though he may have left this world, his spirit will forever remain in our hearts.
“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal.” Anonymous
