Jose A. Cortez Jr.

February 13, 1976 - August 21, 2022

On Sunday, August 21, 2022, God called Jose to his eternal home and Heaven received

another hero. Even though it is absolutely perfect, you are probably up there looking for

something to fix or something to renovate and remodel. Although our hearts are heavy and we

will not see you, we promise to keep a flicker of your life lit in our hearts where you will live on

forever.

Jose (a.k.a 'Joey', 'Joe', and 'Yogi') graduated from Merced Apostolic Academy High School

and attended ITT Technical Institute (ITT Tech). He had a love for learning that fueled his

passion for life and inspired him to acquire skills as a carpenter, plumber, electrician,

landscaper, painter, mechanic, and was an overall creative individual.

Joe was also an adventurous outdoorsman which was evident by his love for hiking, camping,

fishing, boating, and hunting. He especially enjoyed panning for gold in the nearby hills and

mountains. That gold dust he found still adorns the landscape of their home today.

Joe's love for learning and adventure was second only to the love he had for his family and

friends. He would be the first to offer to help in any way he could and also first to figure it out if

he did not already know how.

Joe is survived by his parents Jose R. Cortez, Carmen Uribe, and Robert Uribe; brother Simon

Uribe; sisters Coreena Cortez, Tiffany Cortez, and Lupita Cortez; nephews Gabriel Rangel,

Simon Uribe Jr., Jeremiah Marquez, Rudy Marquez, Romeo Quintana, Alaric Cortez, and Lucian

Cortez; nieces Angelica Pruneda, Carmen Uribe, Ragina Quintana, and Jalene SanMiguel. He

was Nino to Elias Sanchez and Angelica Pruneda and will be missed by all his uncles, aunts,

cousins, and everlasting brotherhood.

Joe, you will be greatly missed. Though you are gone, you will definitely not be forgotten.