Jesus Macias

Jesus Macias, 91, born on October 20, 1931, in, MICH, Mexico, passed away June 21, 2023.

Paying our respects to Jesus allows us to celebrate a life well lived and share his story. Rather than mourning over the loss, we choose to celebrate a life filled with love, happiness and long-lasting memories. The legend of a person is often seen in numbers.  We can start there as we reflect upon the life of Jesus: husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, great grandfather and friend.   Starting with 1931, Jesus entered his earthly life.  He grew up in San Pedro Cahro, Michoacan, Mexico.  Among other jobs he owned a taxi that serviced the small but growing community.  Around 1948 he met the love of his life, Martha Moreno.  

Like many other immigrants, he entered the United States in the early 1960’s to seek a better life and to make a life for his future children.  Jesus is survived by his wife Martha.  The number 7 enters his life story with the births of Maria, Martha, Gina, Carlos, Lorena, Rolando, and Roberto, and his younger sister Onerania. 

Jesus worked hard to support his family.  He was a man who believed in God and prayed the rosary daily.  Jesus as a family man often devoted Sunday mornings to big pancake breakfasts-a treat that his children still talk about.  He taught his children to be independent thinkers, to live a balanced life-mixing hard work with fun.  He worked to make a good life for his children and his grandchildren.  Today, the number 13 surfaces:  13 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren with 1 on the way.

Jesus has always been healthy as he balanced work with his “Cubas” or Coronas.  Even at 91 he would spark up with the mention of a Cuba or Corona.  He would take a sip of his “Cuba”, shake his right hand up and down and say, “Aye, esta fuerte”.   We are going to miss him sitting in his big chair which overlooked the den, kitchen, and front door.  Sitting on his throne allowed him to be aware of all that was going on.  He would say, “estoy vigilando.”

As we think of Jesus’s life, 2023 is the number where he left his earthly journey and started his celestial one.  That’s perhaps how we can honor Jesus best by recognizing that there are some things bigger than making money or fame, or power.  As we think of all the numbers that impact his life, maybe it is better to reflect not on the numbers 1931 and 2023 but on all the memories he created for each of us-those memories that occurred in-between those numbers.  In that way in the future as we visit Jesus’ headstone, we can memorialize the memories he gave us so that we can assure that Jesus lives forever in our hearts.

Funeral Mass will be held at St. Linus Catholic Church in Norwalk on Thursday, July 6 at 10:00am.