Tulio Rogelio Ayala Sanchez

Essay written by Tulio's daughter, Miriam

My first memories of my father were of this frown and serious face man. He would come from work and continue to do chores around the house. He would be very bossy and very demanding for us to do good in school. My father would very seldom have a smile, he looked always tired. The rest of my siblings would rather spend time next to mom as mom was easy going and very mellow, and still is very mellow.

But one day my father and my mother had a little bump in their marriage and my father moved his things to another room, and the most obvious thing was that he was not giving mom her morning coffee. Even though I loved my mother dearly, my eyes were always in my lonely father. He would become so lonely when this kind of  issues happened between my mom and him. I remember that day I went to my father and started hanging up on his room. He would not talk much, perhaps he thought I was to little to understand his issues with mom. Instead he would put me to help him with any kind of project he was doing at the time. Maybe that explains the reason why I am so boyish and fix any broken thing around the house.  One day my father started talking to me and told me how much he loved my mom and how important we were for him. My father started crying, I couldn't believe my eyes, my "Iron Man" was melting before me, my father had a heart. From that day on, my father and I established the most amazing relationship that lasted until his final breath. Our relationship was based in respect, love, friendship, playfulness, trust, understanding.

My father opened up to the rest of the family later in life after the kids grew up and he had probably the responsibility of raising us off his shoulders, He became happy, easy going, smiling, playful, silly at times. My siblings got to see that part of my father later in life while I was already enjoying this side of him since that day I decided to take his mask from his face. Because he had a mask as my father was an amazing person.

My mother knows I love her too, and later she understood that my father and I had a friendship unique based in chemistry and love. But that I also loved her as much as my father. 

I miss my father so much and I will have these memories of him engraved in my heart for ever. My father took a little piece of my heart with him...and I really miss him :(

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Funeral Home Obituary

Tulio Rogelio Ayala Sanchez, 85, born on August 25, 1927 in Olancho, Honduras, passed away May 9, 2013. He resided in Pacoima, California at the time of his passing. Arrangements are under the direction of Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, CA.