Mr. Rafael Buelna

Mr. Rafael Buelna was a modest man, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in his approach to his life and in his relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of "stick to it" attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Realistic about life, he was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility.

       His parents were Encarnacion and Clementina Buelna. Rafael was raised in Alturas, California and San Diego. He was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.

      Growing up in the Buelna household was a bit different than most homes. There were good times to be had, but just as often there was a fair share of challenges as well. However, Rafael was able to work through the usual family problems when they appeared, and he was the one person in the family who seemed able to keep the stress at bay. Rafael was raised with six siblings, Victor, Sergio, Cesar, Sandra, Adriana and Patricia. Rafael was constantly involved in activities with his brothers and sisters. Rafael and his siblings may have had the typical rivalries while growing up but Rafael was always consistently loyal to his family.

      As a young child, Rafael was never someone who needed to be the center of attention. He wasn't pushy and never forced his way into games or other activities. Rafael developed a variety of interests, though, and the things he enjoyed doing he did well. He was always curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. Rafael took part in basketball, motorcross and horses. In his spare time he liked lotto tickets and computer games. However, what Rafael enjoyed most was simply playing and spending time with his many friends.

      While his teachers and even his friends generally thought of Rafael as being a serious person, he managed to have a pretty good time in high school as he made that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He graduated from Sweetwater High School in 1977. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Rafael was a very logical person who enjoyed learning about factual information. Using his exceptional memory, he was able to learn much through observation. Rafael always seemed to have a command of the facts and was able to make it seem as though he could easily master any problem that might be presented to him.

      Always considered to be a solid friend, Rafael was fortunate to have numerous acquaintances and several very close friends during his life. Since he disliked making generalizations about people and preferred to draw his own conclusions based on direct observation, Rafael was able to see beneath the surface of relationships and became a true friend to those who knew him. He was committed to his friends and valued the trust he placed in them. It was not uncommon for Rafael to go beyond the call of duty for others, and friends frequently sought him out for advice because he had a knack for coming up with practical solutions to any type of dilemma. While growing up, some of his best friends were Arturo Jimenez, Rafa and George C. Later in life, he continued to be friends with Arturo Jimenez.

       Compassionate and devoted to Rosa, Rafael held endearing, traditional values about marriage and family life. He took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it his total commitment. He was a source of strength to Rosa and using his gifts at nurturing one-on-one relationships, he worked hard to make his new family happy.

      Rafael greatly enjoyed what he did for a living. He was a hard worker who expected the same in return from his co-workers. He was skilled at working effectively in small groups and in one-on-one situations as well as handling solo assignments efficiently. Rafael enjoyed dealing with concrete ideas and could penetrate any amount of fuzzy information to reach the essential facts. Always able to attend to the task at hand, Rafael was excellent at meeting deadlines. He was an efficient worker, one who paid careful attention to detail, allowing sufficient time to complete one task before moving on to the next. His primary occupation was as an electrician. He was self employed. Rafael worked hard to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

      Rafael found pleasure in sports. Being a person who was comfortable making win/lose decisions throughout life, he could appreciate that athletes made those types of decisions in sports. He applauded those who won, and he enjoyed the statistical data and sports facts and could find himself wrapped up in those details. Recreational sports included basketball. He would watch his favorite sporting events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were the San Diego Chargers.

      Many organizations were grateful to have Rafael as a member, since he always brought with him a "stick to it" attitude and a high degree of common sense. Using straightforward methods to successfully complete the job, Rafael was a great planner who was incredibly well organized. It seemed that he was able to schedule any event or activity with ease. He always seemed to know exactly what needed to be done. Throughout his later years, Rafael was an active member of the Goodwill Industries.

      As a man who always showed great commitment to the things he believed in, it's little wonder that Rafael was so active in his community. Being practical and mentally disciplined, Rafael preferred to base his decisions on first-hand experiences. Rafael was never afraid to roll up his sleeves and dig right in. Politically, Rafael was a Democrat.

      Rafael was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. He was a member of the Catholic Church. He was a sympathetic man who valued his beliefs and was willing to work tirelessly for them.

      Rafael enjoyed traveling and taking vacations. Since he was an early starter and had a knack for planning everything, traveling with Rafael appeared effortless. He enjoyed researching all of his examined options and applying cost-effective planning techniques. Plus, no matter where he traveled, Rafael always had a back up plan at the ready, just in case. Favorite vacations included Montana and Mexico.

      Rafael was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Rafael's favorites was A dog named Mirnoj who was a Terrier mix. They were best friends for 12 years.

      Mr. Rafael Buelna passed away on November 17, 2009 at Scripps Hospital, Chula Vista, CA. Rafael was in a coma for one and one half months and he was on life support. He died of Cardiac Arrest. Services were held at Humphrey Mortuary in Chula Vista, CA.

      Commitment is a key word that can be used to describe the life of Mr. Rafael Buelna. He was committed to living the life of a good man who was both practical and trustworthy. He was committed to the traditional values that he upheld his entire life. He committed himself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from those around him. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved.