Antonio R Padilla

To Antonio R Padilla, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Antonio, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Antonio really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

His parents were Paula Reyes & Julian Sixto Padilla. Antonio was raised in Tijuana, Mexico. Even as a child, Antonio had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family. He was taught to be responsible, compassionate and true to his word.

Always a good playmate, Antonio was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Antonio managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Early in his life he learned he took pride in caring for his family, as well as his home and in everything he did.

Antonio never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Antonio to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Antonio delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Antonio was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Antonio utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. He had many friends most of his friends were co-workers or childhood friends in Tijuana. Antonio loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Antonio very easy to approach. On March 22, 1971 Antonio exchanged wedding vows with Theresa A. Ambriz. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Antonio related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Antonio was blessed with 4 biological and 3 Step children, 3 Biological daughters Yecenia, Gardenia & Julia. One biological son Tony, two stepsons angel and Leonardo and one step daughter Fabiola. They were also blessed with three grandchildren, Becky, Andresito and Lyla. Antonio had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Antonio's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Antonio had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Antonio was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Antonio liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Antonio was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Antonio's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Antonio as an excellent problem solver. He was a Glazer (glass cutter) for over 30 years. International Glass Company in the city of Southgate, CA for 27 years and at Girard Glass Company for 10 years prior to that. Antonio taught his children that education was the key to success in life. Instilled that principal in all his children and pushed them to go to college and create a career that would allow them to be self-reliant and financially responsible. Antonio was a very selfless person. He always took care of others sometime at the expense of his own needs and wants.

Antonio enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Antonio liked creating and making things. His favorite pastime was working on cars and socializing with others and listening to music. His favorite singers were Antonio Aguilar, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Ramon Ayala and Vicente Fernandez. Antonio was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Antonio recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. Living life in the fast lane suited Antonio just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations were going to San Martin to visit family and going to Tijuana to visit his parents and friends.

Antonio was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. He had several Dogs at different times in his life Solin, Kaliman, Duke, Cubby, Chloe, Frida and Chaucer. Cubby was the longest he had a dog for and they enjoyed the memories created in those 16 years.

Antonio believed that you had to experience life, and his life in semi-retirement was no different. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Antonio remained busy with people and projects. Antonio continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well. He worked hard to give his family everything they needed and dedicated his life to the care of his mentally ill wife until his dying day.

Antonio passed away on March 4, 2011 at his daughter Gardenia’s house in Los Angeles, CA. Antonio battled liver disease. He is survived by children Yecenia, Gardenia, Julia, Fabiola, Tony, Angel and Leonardo his grandchildren Becky, Andresito and Lyla. Services were under the direction of Funeraria Del Angel Bell. The funeral Mass was held at Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Church in the city of Maywood, CA. Antonio was laid to rest at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery in Montebello, CA.

Antonio brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Antonio R Padilla lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.