Emilio Leon peacefully passed away at the age of 92 in Hollister on January 10, 2012. Emilio was born on May 24, 1919 in El Teul, Zacatecas, Mexico. He grew up during the Historical Mexican Cristeros movement.
As a young man he started his own business in Colotlan, Mexico as a leather craftsman, making horse saddles for the ranchers. At the age of 36 he took part in the Mexican-American Bracero Program while his wife Elvira raised their son Victor and daughter Rosario(Marlow). In 1960 he experienced the loss of his wife Elvira. To make a better life for his 12-year old son and 2-year old daughter, he migrated to Hollister, marrying Maria De Avila in 1962. Maria soon gave birth to their first and only child, Laurentina Leon (Burns) on August 26, 1965.
Emilio immediately secured employment with the local cannery where he worked until he retired at the age of 65.
In his 50’s he often picked up his daughter, Tina, and grandchildren, Blanca, Yolanda, Fernando, Victor and Elvira in his Volkswagen bug on Sunday mornings and drove them through the Paicines roads where they took peaceful nature walks.
Emilio and his son, Victor, became US citizens together in 1994. Emilio was 75. Emilio took daily walks down Monterey Street up until his 90th birthday.
In 2010 Emilio sadly lost his second wife Maria. Emilio is survived by his three children, 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Emilio, (Apa), Abuelito, (Papa) was so loved and will be dearly missed.
