Tribute
We'd like to celebrate Veronica’s life by sharing a bit of it with you.
Veronica was the third of nine children born to her parents, Jacinto and Josephine Avalos. She was born in La Junta, CO, where she lived until 1969, her junior year of high school. At that time, her family moved to Pueblo where she lived for the remainder of her life.
During the summer of 1970, she met the man that she would eventually call her husband, Fred Trujillo. Their courtship lasted all through her senior year of high school and in 1972, at the young age of 19, she and Fred were married and shared their life for 42 years. In their younger years they enjoyed motorcycle rides, road trips, camping, watching the races at Beacon Hill and the occasional night out at El Sombrero or the Acapulco lounge.
Veronica and Fred have one son, Freddy, to whom Veronica dedicated her life. Like any mother, there was nothing she wouldn’t do for Freddy; always encouraging him to follow his dreams, challenging him to further his education and supporting him in his decisions. She was so proud when he earned his Master’s Degree this past year and so excited for him when he opened his bike shop. Sometimes she would reminisce and talk about watching Freddy race quarter midgets when he was young or the trip to Disney Land when he was little and as he grew older, the trips to New Mexico for the bike rallies. She loved her son with her whole heart and soul. And, if possible, I think she may have loved him even more when he blessed her and Fred with three beautiful grandchildren, Jacob, Grace and Diesel, or as she referred to them “My Jakee, Cha-Cha and my boy, DJ”. And she would say their names so full of love.
Though Veronica was very private and never boastful, you could see the love and pride she had for her son and grandchildren. It was in the tone of her voice, the soft expression on her face and the smile in her eyes as she talked about them. Her greatest joy was caring for her babies and spending time with them. Oh, how she loved watching Jacob play football, Gracie play soccer and holding Diesel in her arms. She would tell such expressive stories about them, usually an “Avalos” version…very long and detailed….but always with that beautiful smile of hers.
Veronica was caring, compassionate and always thinking of others before herself. This was evident by her career choice. She was a Registered Nurse for twenty years at the Colorado State hospital and also worked at Haven at St. Mary Corwin hospital. She worked the graveyard shift but somehow still found time to be a loving caregiver to her mother and father. Most of the time, she would go to see them or take them to their various appointments before even going home to rest and sleep and take care of herself. And bless her heart, someone would always come to her with a random medical question or ask her to look at something they had on them. She was always patient and kind with them, even if she didn’t really want to look at that thing they had. Not only was Veronica, caring, compassionate and kind, she was feisty. And you know you had pressed one of her buttons when she would peer over the top of her glasses and raise her eyebrow at you….which, by the way, a lot of her nieces have tried to perfect but with no success….
But you also knew you had touched her heart when she would gently tilt her head and give you her beautiful smile.
Veronica touched our hearts. We know this because when we think of her it evokes a special feeling, emotion or memory. When our family was asked, “What comes to mind when you think of Veronica?” There were several responses and here are some of them:
Beautiful, Kind, Caring, Compassionate, Nurturing Angel, Loving, Giving, Christmas Fudge, Potato Salad, Feisty, Funny, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Fancy, Enchilada casserole, Purple, Steel Magnolias,
So, when you think of Veronica and it evokes that special feeling, emotion or memory, hold it in your heart, as I know she holds us in hers.
Rest in peace, Veronica, we love you.