Jose Rafael Luna

On January 5, 1949, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Jose Rafael Luna was born to his parents Manuel and Esperanza (Robles) Luna. He was the fifth child of six sons born to this loving family. The day he was born was a Wednesday and the first in January that year, a fun fact, is that the exact 1949 calendar can be used again in 2033. He moved to the United States with his parents and five brothers as a young child near the age of 5 years old and they settled in a quaint home in El Paso, Texas on Dolan Street. There he met neighborhood friends and played various games in the dusk like kick the can, baseball, or played innocent pranks on neighbors. He attended high school at El Paso Technical School and was a proud Lion where he lettered in varsity sports, baseball, basketball, and football, during this time, he forged long-time friendships in which as an adult he would connect again including Frank Valverde and Abel Rodriguez. This year, he was inducted into the Fast Pitch Hall of Fame for his career as an athlete and coach. He joined a roster of wonderful athletes, but he was most proud to be with his brothers, Hector (Tati), Jaime, and Sergio Luna, nephews, Hector (Tatito), Marco (Popi), and Juan (Johnny) Luna. His proudest moment when playing with was being able to play with his brothers alongside them.

On his childhood block, he would live only houses away from the love of his life, his honey, his wife, Alicia Lilia (Lily) Camacho. They started dating at a young age with their first interaction during an impromptu adventure of visiting a local haunted house. Months later, he would officially ask Lily on a date with the courage of his good friend Albert in the background. With chaperones, his older brother, Jaime and his wife, Victoria, they had their first date at Fiesta De Flores on September 8th. Years later, they would marry on this date in 1974, and they became Mr. and Mrs. Luna, with family and friends as witnesses and his father serving as his best man.

Through their love, they built a beautiful family. Their oldest daughter, Monica Alyssa Luna, was born on December 24, 1975. He dedicated a special song to Monica to the tune of Oh Christmas Tree, with the lyrics, “Oh Monica, Oh Monica, oh how, I love my Monica,” and that he truly did. They experienced their first togethers and he learned to love a little human and taught her right and wrong and how to use “pumpernickel” as a bad word. Because Monica needed a sibling, their second daughter, Vanessa Alina Luna was born on September 17, 1980, he often shared the story that Monica picked the “little white baby” from the orphanage and that is how Vanessa joined the family. He would call her Vanessa the Mouser from a popular book he would read to her as a child. Two years later, needing an heir to continue the Luna name, Rafael Adan Luna, was born on December 30, 1982, Ralphie, as he is known is a spitting image of him, tall, dark, and handsome. They had their journey of father/son and coach/player adventures – he would later serve has Ralphie’s best man in his wedding. This was their family – the five OG’s, bound together – thick and thin – love always prevailed in times of happiness, sadness, and grief.

He loved reading, he loved people, he loved music, singing and whistling. He was a jokester and loved being the center of attention with singing or dancing or telling a good joke (well, sometimes corny, but guaranteed a chuckle). He loved learning new things and challenging himself and people. He was learning French and loved reading and reading encyclopedias. If he gave you a hard time, it is because one he knew you could handle yourself and two, because he liked you. Take it has an ultimate compliment and if you had a nickname given by him – you were special. What meant the most to him was his grandchildren. He loved – I mean loved them and looked at them with pride in his eyes for who they are and who they will become. He has a special bond with each of his six grandchildren from music, arts, sports, or just making silly sound affects like Donald Duck or the Minions. Adria Alyssa and Alina Sofia Dominguez born from his favorite first daughter, Monica and her husband, Carlos. Aribella Lilia, Arik Jesuiah, and Avaluna Jorgianna Marquez born from his favorite second daughter, Vanessa, and her husband Erik. Azaylea Jaziel born from his favorite only son, Rafael Luna and his wife, Karina (Kari).

He loved Wednesdays. On Wednesday’s he had breakfast club in which he would often share that “I’d rag on them and they rag on me.” On these days, we would have intellectual conversations, razzing one, jokes and laughs, and shared memories with the group, including his little brother, Sergio, Sal Lucero, Tony Robles, Mando Medina, Victor Onate, Paul Vargas, Carlos Rodriguez, Alex Gonzalez, Joe Gonzalez, and the founder of the group, his big brother, Javier, and Licha.

He was taken by ambulance on May 8, 2023, for shortness of breath and was hospitalized for nearly two months where he fought and worked hard each day with the support of medical advances with the ultimate physician, Jesus Christ on his side. For the love, prayers, and visits during his hospitalization, we thank you, we shared with him daily. While he was in the hospital on three occasions, the Lord, tried to call him and efforts were made to keep him with us on the final call from the Lord, as a family, we accepted his message and on June 28, 2023, he left his earthly cocoon to blossom and soar. He left his world with surrounded by love and faith of his wife and children, who prayed the Lord’s prayer and let him know he would be joining his loved ones and welcomed by the Lord, and we would be ok, and as children, we would carry our promise to care for Mom.

In the Kingdom of Heaven is where his spirit is. Heaven is where Jesus is. It is the place – where everything lasts forever, where everything that is best remains, where everything good is celebrated, where light fills every space, where love fills every heart, where worship fills every breath, where praise never stops, where pain never enters, where joy never ceases.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Manuel and Esperanza Luna, his big brother Luis Armando (Mando) Luna, his loving Tia Josephina Garcia, his dear cousin, who was more like older sister, Socorro Quinones, and sisters-in-law, Anita Luna and Martha Luna. He is survived by his wife, Alicia, his children, Monica (Carlos), Vanessa (Erik), and Rafael (Kari), and grandchildren, Adria (Aya), Alina (Liney), Aribella (Bellie), Arik (AJ), Azaylea (Zayley), and Avaluna (AVM), his brothers, Hector (Tati) Luna (Anita+), Jaime (Victoria) Luna, Javier (Martha+) Luna, Sergio (Patricia) Luna, his sister-in-law, Guadalupe Luna (Mando+), cousins, nieces, nephews, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, friends, players, and colleagues.

Thank you for the love, friendship, laughs, and experiences you shared with him. If you are present today, he touched your life and vice versa and we hope you continue to remember him and keep his memory alive always.