Jorge A. Ochoa

To Jorge A. Ochoa, 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 Jorge, 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. Jorge really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Jorge was born on November 27, 1925 at his home, by a midwife, in Quito, Ecuador. His parents were Carlos and Rosa Ochoa. Jorge was raised in Quito, Ecuador. Even as a child, Jorge 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.

Always a good playmate, Jorge 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, Jorge managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Jorge was raised with four siblings. He had three brothers, Carlos, Oswaldo and Jaime and one sister, Graciela.

All of Jorge's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Jorge experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. Jorge enjoyed playing soccer. In his spare time he liked collecting soccer cards.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Jorge was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Jorge simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Jorge, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Jorge's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers.

Jorge 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 Jorge to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Jorge 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, Jorge was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Jorge utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friend was Carlos Ayala. Jorge loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Jorge very easy to approach. On September 6, 1952 Jorge exchanged wedding vows with Olga Yolinda Avila at La Merced Church in Ambato, Ecuador. 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 Jorge 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. Jorge was blessed with ten children, Martha, O'Dalia, Susana, Monica De Los Angeles, Jorge, Carlos, Byron, Monica, Ivan, and Maria. They were also blessed with 27 grandchildren, Victor, Martha, Tony, Alex, Roger, Veronica, Patricio, Michael, Wessley, Stacy, Jessica, Luisito, Jonathan, Bryan, Jasmin, Pamela, Darwin, Tifany, Daniela, Jovany, Daniel, Jackeline, Nicole, Britney, Giovany, Vanessa, and Brandon Lee. Jorge 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. Jorge'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, Jorge had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Jorge was a real “people person. ” he had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Jorge liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Jorge was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Jorge's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Jorge as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation, for 45 years, was a purse designer.

Jorge enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Jorge liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were soccer. Jorge was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Jorge felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Jorge loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Jorge relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Jorge never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school and later in life, Jorge played soccer. Jorge was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were soccer and boxing.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Jorge recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member of St. Francis De Salle for 30 years.

Living life in the fast lane suited Jorge 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 included trips back home to Quito, Ecuador.

Jorge was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Jorge's favorites was Tarzan, a Golden Retriever. They were best friends for 14 years.

Jorge believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 1994, Jorge took it in stride as one more way to have fun. His new life involved relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Jorge remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, he found new pleasure in traveling to South America. Even in retirement, Jorge 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 is survived by his children Martha, O'Dalia, Susana, Jorge, Carlos, Byron, Monica, Maria and Ivan; and his grandchildren Victor, Martha, Tony, Alex, Roger, Veronica, Patricio, Michael, Wessley, Stacy, Jessica, Luisito, Jonathan, Bryan, Jasmin, Pamela, Darwin, Tifany, Daniela, Jovany, Daniel, Jackeline, Nicole, Britney, Giovany, Vanessa and Brandon Lee. Services were held at Palm Mortuary Northwest.

Jorge 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. Jorge A. Ochoa lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Northwest-Funeral Home, Las Vegas, NV.