Miguel Molina Ruiz

1936 - 2018

Miguel Molina Ruiz, was born September 29, 1936 in the small Pueblo of Suaqui, Sonora in Mexico.

The man made Lake Novillo caused several pueblos including Suaqui to go underwater, prompting the Ruiz family to relocate to Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora.

Miguel, the eldest of 10, had to forego his childhood in order to work at an early age and help provide for his family. He migrated to the United States in his teen years where he continued to work hard. It was this life of hard physical work, low wages, tattered shoes, days with no meals, nights sleeping without a roof over his head, made him stress the importance of a good education to his children.

He would often say, you need to learn to work with your mind, not your body and that if he would have had the luxury of an education he could have been so much more.

To escape the gang violence of the 80's in East L.A., Miguel relocated his family to Yuma, Arizona where he made his final home for 32 years.

Miguel self sacrificed so that his children, would have more and be more than he ever was.

He took to heart the saying, that he wanted to leave the world a better place than how he entered it. His legacy lives on through his children, who he was able to see succeed before his death.

Miguel or "Mike" as some people knew him, was a strong stubborn fighter and even when diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease 10 years ago, he tried to never let the disease rob him of joy.

Miguel's life came to an end on April 2, 2018 at the age of 81, he is survived by his daughter Cathy, three sons Hector, Miguel Jr. and Steve along with his loving wife of 37 years Maria Ruiz.

Visitation and the Recitation of the Holy Rosary will take place on Thursday, April 12th, 2018 at Johnson Mortuary Chapel from 5pm - 9pm. Funeral mass will take place on Friday, April 13th, 2018 at 11am at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, followed by the interment in the Garden of Meditation at Desert Lawn Memorial Park.