Qualie D. Esparza died March 12, 2004 at Mabie Northside
Convalescent Hospital. He was 87.
Qualie D. Esparza died March 12, 2004 at Mabie Northside Convalescent Hospital. He was 87.
He was born in Riverside and came to San Benito County 80 years ago. He attended San Juan Bautista Schools.
He was a member of the Old Mission San Juan Bautista and Sacred Heart Church. He worked on the annual San Juan Rodeo and Fiesta for many years. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed walking around San Juan and offering his services as a Docent, as he knew much about San Juan history. On several occasions, he was selected as an extra to appear in films that were shot in San Juan Bautista.
He retired from Ideal Cement Plant after working there 30 years. In his younger days, he was a cowboy who broke and trained horses and rode the range. He served on horseback as a Rangers Assistant in Yosemite National Park in his young years.
He is survived by his daughter Qualia Nasise and husband Joseph of Los Alamos, N.M., grandson Samuel Nasise and wife Kelly of Los Alamos, great-granddaughters Tiffany and Bailee Nasise of Los Alamos, sister Lupe Garrett of South San Francisco and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held Monday, March 15 at Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Funeral Home from 3 to 7 p.m. and on Tuesday before the 1 p.m. service time, to which friends are invited. Interment will follow at San Juan District Cemetery.
Donations are preferred to Glad Tidings Church, c/o of the mortuary chapel.
