Jose Luis Lopez

Jose Luis Lopez-Reynaga, 90, peacefully completed his journey to heaven on July 18, 2024, at his home in Cathedral City, CA.

Born on June 24, 1934, in Guadalajara, Jalisco, MX to Jose and Guadalupe Lopez. At age 19, with an ambitious and adventurous spirit, he visited his sister who was living in Chicago at that time. He loved it so much that he decided to stay to work. While living there, in 1957 he was drafted into the US Army, Tank Company, 2d Battalion, 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort George G Meade, Maryland. His military service as an Army cook took him abroad and he especially enjoyed his time in Germany. He completed his duty and was honorably discharged in 1959. Afterwards he went back to Guadalajara, where he married Maria Luisa "Malu" Rosas on May 21, 1960, and went on to have 3 children.

In 1961, they moved for the first time from Mexico to Palm Springs, California. There, he worked as a waiter for the Riviera Hotel and continued to work there on and off for the next 26 years. In 1971 they moved back to Guadalajara, but in 1976 they finally returned to the US for good and in 1977 they purchased their home in Cathedral City, CA, where they have resided since. In 1987, he began work for the United States Postal Service from which he retired in 1999. In 1989, his American Dream was fully realized when he and his family officially became United States Citizens.

Jose Luis is survived by his devoted wife of 64 years, Malu; his 3 children: Louie "Pepe" Lopez, Malu (Gerardo) Alaniz and Hector (Leigh) Lopez; 10 grandchildren: Linda Marissa Lopez, Veronica Lopez (Christian Juarez), Brianna Lopez, David Lopez, Maritza (Felipe) Maldonado, Maluchita Alaniz, Marcos (Coquie) Alaniz, Alessandra Lopez, Nicolas Lopez and Benjamin Lopez; and 8 great grandchildren: Madalynn, Nola, Sebastian, Noah, Julian, Alexander, Maribel, Diego, Anastasia and Cornelius; his sister Blanca Jara of Guadalajara MX, and numerous nieces and nephews in both MX and the US. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jose and Guadalupe Lopez; and his sister, Lupe Perez.

A funeral mass will be held at 10:00am on Tuesday, August 13, at St. Louis Catholic Church in Cathedral City, CA, where he was a faithful parishioner for 62 years. After the mass, a reception will be held in the church hall, followed by the interment of his ashes at St. Theresa Catholic Church, Palm Springs, CA.