Alfonso Ramirez Orozco Obituary (1945 - 2012)

On March 10, 2012, our wonderful dad left this earth to be with our Lord. A natural leader, he was compassionate and kind. He was full of enthusiasm and had a great sense of humor. Always giving and loving, he taught us valuable life lessons until his last breath. He will be missed by many and always remembered. Alfonso Ramirez Orozco was born on March 3, 1945 in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico to Maria Ramirez and adopted by Miguel Jimenez Orozco. He was an only child and is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Rosamaria Orozco, his two sons, Andres Orozco, Miguel Orozco, and a granddaughter, Raquel Alexa Orozco. After the death of his father in Mexico, Alfonso came to the U.S. in 1968 with his mother, and started working at a tire manufacturing company in Los Angeles, CA. A year later he met the love of his life, Rosamaria Nevarez. They married and settled down in Bell Gardens, CA. Always a hard worker, Alfonso went on to work at Bethlehem Steel and was promoted to plant supervisor. In 1980, the company opened an agricultural equipment division at the Freeport Center in Layton, Utah and he was recruited to be part of the leadership team for the new company. In 1984, our dad and mom made a major life decision and started their own business. They began selling household items at the swap meet and also in their home. A year later, they opened Rosemary’s Shop in Clearfield, Utah. Upon learning about the growing Latino community in Wendover, Nevada they expanded their business and began selling outside at the Wendover Welcome Center parking lot on the weekends. Early success led them to purchase a parcel of land at 510 Mesa Street and build, from the ground up, Rosemary’s Shop in 1990 and Park Furniture in 1991. Alfonso and Rosamaria moved permanently to West Wendover in 1997. In 2006, Alfonso and his family refurbished the old JC Penney building in McGill, NV and opened Al’s Discount Store. Our dad enjoyed the friendship and support from his loyal customers. On October 29, 2011, his store celebrated five years. Our dad was very active in the community and was a pioneer in Latino Civic Engagement in West Wendover, NV. His efforts included voter registration drives, encouraging documented Latinos to become naturalized U.S. citizens and learn English. At the same time, he strongly believed in celebrating Latino culture, heritage, and preserving the Spanish language at home. He helped organize many Cinco de Mayo festivals and other celebrations in Wendover, Nevada. His favorite pastimes included gardening, visiting relatives in Mexico, listening to classical music, traveling and eating great food. Above all business and individual accomplishments, our father was proudest of his family and providing an education for his two sons. Each son has a Master’s degree and is accomplished in their respective field. He was a devoted husband, very strong in his faith in God and lived by the Golden Rule. We are extremely proud of our father for his sacrifices and wonderful example he left for his family and all who knew him.