I would like to give thanks to all those that have showed support and wished their condolences. I have decided to post his eulogy that was read at my fathers funeral service. I will miss my father greatly but am grateful for the life that he provided for me.
Gabino Galeana Ayala
- Born 18 of January 1934 to Joaquin Ayala and Antonia Galeana Lepes in Tecpen de Galeana, in the state of Guerrero Mexico.
- Gabino, after starting First grade showed advanced knowledge in mathematics, a subject he learned well working in his Aunts small market, and was moved to the third grade
- Before he could complete the third grade, his family needing his help in the family business pulled him from school to work in the store ending my father’s formal education.
- At six years old, Gabino moved to Chihuahua, Mexico to live with an aunt to help manage a small market.
- At ten he then moved back to Acapulco with another Aunt to assist her and her business.
- By the age of 12, he began working for himself doing multiple jobs to help support his mother.
o In one job he would rent a small fishing boat and would fish in Acapulco bay with only a hook and fishing line. He would catch the fish, bring it to market and sell his catch to pay for the boat, give money to his mother and save just enough for him to buy sweet bread.
o He would go to the hills to collect wood to sell as firewood.
o He worked from time to time as a farm hand
o He also planted his own crops selling his harvest in a local market
o From the crops he would also collect the seeds and sell the seeds to other farmers
o He was also a builder building small homes for families
- At 16 he saved enough money to pay for his first mode of transportation, a bicycle.
- At the age of 17 he migrated to the Mexico US border where he worked as a field worker beginning with picking Cotton.
- He worked several years as a migrant worker in Texas as wherein he saved enough money to Marry Hortensia Estrada Ayala and to have her brought to the United States.
- After marrying our mother he moved to Los Angeles, CA and began working with his brother Raymundo Ayala, as an auto body painter. After learning the trade he demonstrated great skill and was quickly promoted as a lead painter.
- Working in Beverly Hills, my Fathers recognition brought clients in requesting personal custom paint jobs for individuals such as Mohamed Ali, Ronald Reagan, Elvis Presley (Painting a Cadillac gold),Disney Studios and so forth.
- My father ultimately was promoted as a manager of the Auto Body department at Dean Smith Lincoln Mercury Cadillac in Beverly Hills.
- In the Seventies, my parents invested in mixed rental and retail property
- My father then opened a restaurant, El Azteca Mexican Restaurant, located on the property and would manage the restaurant and rentals in the evenings
- In the 1980’s my father developed asthma from inhaling years of paint fumes and was forced into retirement from the auto body industry.
- Gabino continued on managing the Restaurant and rental property after retiring from Auto body painting
- Soon after together with our mother Hortensia, Gabino began new retail ventures selling women’s fashion apparel and accessories
- This led to a successful seasonal business in Palm Desert, CA
- As a result, Gabino’s entrepreneurial efforts, he inspired his children to open businesses of their own.
- Gabino and Hortensia Ayala had 5 children and is survived by his wife Hortensia Ayala, Daughters Martha, Leticia, Patricia, son Gerry and their four grandchildren Sophia, Trevor, Jonas and Elias.
Hanging out in Central Park
