Raul Urreola's Obituary
Raul Urreola was born in Mexico City on August 30, 1939. He started working at the age of six, wrapping pieces of bubble gum. He accompanied his mother around Mexico selling items at county fairs. Working at an early age gave him an incredible work ethic and the love of travel. Raul’s travels also opened his eyes and showed him that there are bigger and better things ahead if you work smart, save your money, take some risks and lead by example.When he was 16, he was spotted by Marcela Martinez and her sisters walking down the street. Marcela was only 13, but she told her sisters “That one is mine.” Marcela’s older sisters laughed, but Raul was hers for the following 59 years (they were married for 57 years).In December of 1960, Raul and his pregnant wife packed up their car with their son Raul Jr. who was just a toddler and drove from Mexico City to Tijuana for a vacation. They took a day trip to San Diego and knew immediately they wanted to move there. They did not return to Mexico City and instead spent five years in Tijuana waiting for permission to move to the United States.In 1965, the family of four (Arturo was born in Tijuana in 1961) moved to San Diego. Working in a restaurant as a dishwasher, who moved up the ladder quickly and eventually became partners with the owners. From there they opened several restaurants from the early 1970s until the last one closed in 1987.After being an entrepreneur, he went back to working as a machinist. The schedule and the lower stress level allowed for him to do the things he loved, especially spending time with the family. Raul worked for Pacific Manufacturing from 1988 until 2011 when he finally retired after working a total of 66 years. He kept his tool set just in case he decided he wanted to go back.Raul and Marcela spent a great deal of time traveling especially the last three years including: Alaska, Washington DC, New York, Boston, Connecticut, Niagra Falls, Toronto, Arizona, Morocco, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Costa Rica, Panama Canal, Bahamas, Miami, Florida Keys, La Paz, Guadalajara, Colima, Oaxaca and Cancun…and Las Vegas. Las Vegas was always one of Raul’s favorite getaways which he did sometimes twice a year. Not just because of the gambling; he was a fan of the shows, the buffets, the massive hotels and bright lights.What people remember most about Raul is his sense of humor and his contagious smile. He always had a joke in his back pocket and ready to go. His heart was enormous. Raul was very generous and enjoyed feeding people. On holidays his favorite food to prepare prime rib for the family. On football Sundays, he would grill his infamous carne asada or barbeque ribs.Raul holds a special place in a lot of people’s hearts. We miss him dearly and look forward to the day we join him again.
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