Lucille Trujillo Grijalva

Born in Capulin, Colorado, on July 11, 1932, Lucille was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and big sister. At the age of 88, on October 8, 2020 at 2:25 PM, she left her earthly family, to join her heavenly family, which includes her beloved husband, Genaro T. Grijalva and son Genaro A. Grijalva. Lucille‘s surviving daughters: Diana Herren, Carmen Velez and Anna Stimson, remain behind to continue her legacy through her grandchildren: Shaun Moreira, Yvonne Ruiz, Eliot Velez, Cassondra Mantovani, Gene Grijalva, Randy Chavers, Michael Chavers, and her 14 great grandchildren. We would be remiss not to include her beloved comfort dog Raya, who has been a tireless, constant companion and bodyguard, ever since her husband’s passing in 2015.

Lucille was a feisty child growing up, so full of life and mischief. She loved teasing her older sister Lourdes, as well as wrangling her younger siblings; Richard, Fred and Virginia. After marrying the most handsome man in New Mexico, they moved their little family to California in 1953.

Lucille found employment quickly at a fine jewelry store in East L.A. Her penchant for being fashionably late to almost every occasion never bothered her bosses, because of her strong work ethic, customer service and just being so good at what she did. Her clock-in time was usually just a suggestion.

She never left the house without looking her very best, just like her own mother, Carmen. Everyone who met her admired her for her beauty, composure and grace.

Lucille loved the arts, especially music of all genres and styles. Although she didn’t have the best voice, she would often sing the loudest. She was also the worlds greatest and most appreciative audience.

Lucille loved and adored her large extended family and friends that she would make feel a part of the family. She was a gracious hostess, who made strangers feel special, with a listening ear and profound advice. Family celebrations, holidays and birthdays were always held wherever she was. Even regular Sundays were made special with her never-ending posole pot, cupcakes or generic ice cream cones.

Yes, the woman had a notorious sweet tooth, with chocolate being her favored passion.

Lucille had an uncanny natural ability for finance, which blossomed quickly. She could manage money like a high-powered CFO boss. This turned into a love for real estate. Often her motto was, “ If I have it I’ll spend it, and if I don’t - I won’t.” Even though she was a dedicated saver, she was a generous giver.

Lucille also loved home improvement. She was the original “design on a dime” designer. She would often come up with innovative ideas to put a door here, put a window there, build a bunkbed here, put up a divider there. She would always enlist the help of her sometimes resistant but accommodating husband, who would eventually do whatever she wanted.

Her favorite job was working at a bank, where she was promoted quickly to new accounts and merchant management. Customers and staff alike appreciated and respected her. However, her loving, self-sacrificing side lead her to leave that job, in order to take care of her precious mother, as she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Lucille often put the needs of her family before her own. She always tried to make everyone feel equal and happy.

In her later years, she told us she needed to get a hobby, like our dad had. In her words, she wanted to leave us some sort of “legacy“ of artwork, piano music or something tangent, like he did.

But Lucille did leave a legacy. A legacy of kindness, compassion, empathy, independence, a weird sense of humor, laughter, and crosses on our foreheads as we would leave her.

She has left us so many more traditions that we see in ourselves, in our siblings and have put into our own families.

One of the most important things she leaves us, is her strong faith and love for God that has led so many of us to the feet of Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Lucille fulfilled her promise to care for her own beloved mother-and just like her, we have fulfilled our promise to our father to take care of her.

She was with us when we took our first breath, we were blessed and honored to be with her when she took her last.

Cross Cross 💕