Anthony Lopez

Anthony Lopez

On June 2nd 1955 a son was born to Esperanza & Ranulfo Lopez in San Jose, CA. Being the middle child as he would put it "a very mischievous little one". Being very creative even at an early age many stories ended with him running away & laughing. Still growing up in San Jose he attended & graduated from James Lick High School. Our fathers love for fruit & vegetables lead him to the flea market where he took great pride in his fruit & vegetable displays & produce signs. At the flea market is where he met the woman he was going to marry Rebecca Benitez. He also attended the academy where he became a deputy sheriff then settled in a civil dept. where he worked with the DA in the family court division. I his second daughter still remember the night after his completion of the academy showing me all his gear, I was so amazed & proud of my dad.

Our father had 4 children Christina, Becky, Priscilla & Tony. Our dad brought up his children with a strong Christian faith, morals, a great work ethic, love & mixed with a lot of humor. His son who was told "his great pride & joy" was involved in every aspect of his journey through manhood from sports to even a hug when needed our dad knew the importance of being a father. I, his first born, remember all the words of wisdom that my father shared with me, especially on the night before my wedding. We were his wagon of six wheels strong & knew how to be a family. When the grandchildren came along his world lit up with all 9 grandchildren. Our dad never used drugs or drank a day of his life. He wanted to have a clear head & memory and that he did. He wanted to stay strong for his grandchildren, Sunday were their special day. Our dad enjoyed many hours of wood working in his own work shop. He also enjoyed boxing, walking & biking. He even walked so far down Alum Rock that he had to call his 3rd daughter Priscilla to pick him to bring him back home. Our father showed us so much love throughout our lives, he with our mother showed us how to stick together.

On October 23rd 2009 around 7:30pm my fathers life was taken from us by an act my father despised, a drunk driver. Our father was doing nothing more but coming home from dinner, stopped at a red light on Alum Rock Ave & Foss Ave a street that had many great memories for our dad. A street he took many times is now a street our family can't bring ourselves to go down. It's been 1 year without our dad our protector.

He will be forever missed & never forgotten. He has earned the right to have the respect from all who have had the pleasure of knowing him. There will never be another Anthony Lopez. They don't make them like that anymore and he would have wanted it that way.

Dad you are always in our thoughts until we see you again in heaven, we love you dad! "The Lopez Gang of 6".