Isaias Ruiz

Sy had an exceptionally friendly and outgoing personality. He exuded laughter and love to those who knew him. Sy was a caring, generous, and loving father to his three children and his four grandchildren. He was a self-educated man who loved to read and did things his way.

Sy was born in Flagstaff, Arizona, on April 16, 1935. As a young child, his family moved to San Jose in 1942, where they lived in tents until his parents could afford a home. He was a very outgoing and courageous young boy. In 1952, after enlisting at a younger age than allowed for entry into the United States Air Force, he was discharged from service. Shortly after that, he pursued his athletic career as an amateur boxer, becoming a young and talented Flyweight Champion, winning the AAU Golden Gloves in Boston, Massachusetts. In September 1958, he married Gloria Ernestine Banuelos. Sy and Gloria had three children, and in 1963 he began his life-long career as a professional Income Tax Preparer. Sy and Gloria purchased their first family home in east San Jose on Story Road the following year. In the early 1970s, involving his immediate family and relatives, he successfully organized and picketed in support of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers of America. This cause was one of his great passions supporting organized labor and the Latino community. He began converting his home’s garage into a small business office in the following years. As his business grew and expanded, he remodeled and converted his family’s entire Story Road home and property lot into a complete business office, moving his family to the east San Jose foothills in 1976. He operated his Income Tax business in east San Jose for 51 years, retiring in 2014. During his career, he had many clients that were not only known to him by their professional relationships but also became long-time personal friends.

Sy was a very outgoing, welcoming, generous, and fun-loving man who was always the life of the party while immensely enjoying life and having a good time with family and friends. He primarily vacationed internationally in Mexico City and Baja California/Sur, while domestically, he spent much of his leisure time in the golden state of California. He spent numerous vacations with immediate family, close relatives, and family friends, snow skiing at Lake Tahoe, spearfishing many of California’s lakes and rivers, and boating on Lake Shasta, Lake Tahoe, and the Pacific Ocean off the California coastline. He enjoyed the music of The Eagles, Bee Gee’s, Selena, dancing, and San Francisco 49ers football. He always enjoyed watching and participating in the sport of his youth, boxing.

Our time with Sy was one of laughter, joy, and love. He was our family’s Patriarch and left us on March 2, 2022, with many loving memories. We will miss him dearly, but we are comforted and hopeful as we look forward to reuniting with him in God’s eternity.

Order of Service

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

JUAN LEON

PRAYER & MESSAGE

PASTOR CHARLIE BLACK

POEM READING – GOLDEN MEMORIES

LYCIA FAITH LUCAS

SCRIPTURE READING – JOHN 14: 1-3

JACLYN RUIZ

PHOTO PRESENTATION

JUAN LEON

REFLECTIONS FROM FAMILY

REFLECTIONS FROM FRIENDS

EULOGY

PASTOR CHARLIE BLACK

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

JUAN LEON

THANK YOU

Survived By

Children, Rebecca Leon (Juan Leon), Melissa Ruiz (Javier Huerta), and Randy Ruiz (Desiree Ruiz); Former Spouse, Gloria Robles; Siblings, Rachel Silva, and Daniel Ruiz (Dolores Ruiz); Grandchildren, Jacob Huerta (Departed this life 10/8/2012), Jaclyn Ruiz, Lycia Faith Lucas, and Joshua Ruiz; Cousins and numerous nieces and nephews