Hugo Murillo Aguilar

Born in Nejapa, El Salvador to orphan-parents Felicita Aguilar and Lauriano Murillo, Hugo was born into extreme poverty alongside his dearest mother and ten siblings, including Jose Antonio, Dora Alisia, Mario, and Tita. From the tender age of seven Hugo had already become a man, gathering scraps of food for his family throughout the town; paying his bus fare with his hard-earned centavos. "We would make coffee from the burnt leftovers of tortillas", he oftend remarked. Diligence, duty, self-determination, and selflessness; these early-forged traits would be thematic throughout Hugo's life. Shortly after meeting his soon-to-be life-long wife Rosa Idalia Beltran, they conceived two daughters Windy and Paola Aguilar. Working at the port of Acajutla he managed to support his family and pursue his education, often studying under the dim lights of street lampposts. It was also during this time that he taught himself carpentry.

Hugo's efforts finally culminated in 1983 with the title of Ingeniero Agricola (Agricultural Engineer) from Universidad de El Salvador — being the only one of his family to achieve a post-secondary education. He would later describe the pain and joy of this moment, as he used the gold of his passed mother's necklace to produce the graduation ring. In a cruel twist of fate, however, he would be out his beloved country within a year. Escaping the civil war and several attempts at his life by the military, Hugo and Rosa would finally marry in La Iglesia Santísima Trinidad de Sonsonate. Now two years passed, and his professional dreams unrealized, the family was ready to welcome a Californian addition — Cindy Aguilar. The time was short-lived in "the land of the free, home of the brave" as the family moved one final time, reaching the land of 'the true north, strong and free'. Hugo would later confess that it was a youthful dream all along to come to Canada, and it was here that his last two chidren were born: Diana and Jonathan Aguilar.

In Canada Hugo devoted his life to his family. A few memories of his family include: trips to the zoo; picking pears with his daughters at Pearson Park, where he would play futbol; picking cherries and peaches with his children to show them what hard work looks like; sharing sandwiches and funnel cake at Canada's Wonderland, where at 50+ years of age he still dared to mount the tallest rides; kayaking and fishing with his daughters in his 60s; making frequent trips to Charles Daley Park where he would walk his dog 'Snowy', and swim in Lake Ontario; teaching his son how to ride his first bike; teaching his wife and daughter how to drive "standard"; incessantly maintaining his fish tank in pristine condition up to his last days at home; raising his last little boy 'Kalimba' (german shepherd) up to 1 years old. He was the only sibling to help his disabled brother "Tonio" (Jose Antonio) throughout their lives, and would frequently make trips to El Salvador to accompany him. At work and in his construction projects he was known as a humble work-horse, who could outpace two men on a given mobile home while at an advanced age (and battling advanced cancer and heart failure). Ultimately he worked tirelessly to support his family, for decades, using the humble skills he had learned predating his Engineering Degree. As a futbol fanatic with a subtle sense of humor, he no doubt would have seen his last battle as a "tie" ("se quedo empatado") — one cannot consider a winner when neither persist. However his memory and life-force do persist, and moreover it is clear that he is now with his brother in that garden with the "venaditos" looking down upon us with San Pedro.

A visitation for Hugo will be held Saturday, June 24, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at Hulse & English Funeral Home & Chapell, 75 Church Street, St. Catharines, Ontario. Following the visitation will be a funeral service at 11:30 AM. Hugo will be laid to rest in Cementerio General de Sonsonate. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.HulseandEnglish.com for the Aguilar family.