This is how it all ended...

My Grandfather passed away before I could really get started on this project. That doesn't mean that it is over though. I will still be writing on it and I think that I will begin to interview my family to find out some of the neat stories that he had to tell them...Let me just leave you with this.


Gabriel P. Llanas, 93, of Fort Lupton died Wednesday, Dec. 14, at his home.

He was born March 18, 1912, in Doctor Arroyo Nuevo Leon, Mexico, to Felix Llanas and Norberta Perez.

On April 23, 1945, he married Francisca Tristan. They had five children. His wife preceded him in death.

Mr. Llanas spent most of his life in the United States. His parents brought him to the United States when he was 1 year old. Orphaned at the age of 5, he was raised in Texas by his uncle Juan Llanas. At the age of 9, he was out on his own. With little formal education, he managed to live through the Depression Era. His strong work ethic saw him employed in various occupations, from field laborer and truck driver, to foreman of the Bob Allen Vegetable Produce Co. in Raymondville, Texas, for many years.

In 1967, Mr. Llanas and his wife moved their family permanently to Colorado. Having established himself in the Fort Lupton community, he was instrumental in establishing the Plan de Salud del Valle Clinic, the Valley Health Plan Clinic. Through his experience as a farm laborer and his relationships with area farmers, he was able to canvass and assess the need for such a clinic. As a member of the Foundation for Urban and Neighborhood Development (FUND), he then traveled to Washington, D.C., on various occasions to present the proposal.

In 1972, Mr. Llanas and his wife founded the Asociación Misionera Guadalupana, the purpose of which was to raise funds to help the needy with clothing, food, utility bills and medication. They raised funds by selling burritos and vegetables at a nearby farm. He is warmly remembered by the community as “The Burrito Man.”

Survivors are three sons, Andres, Enrique and wife Laurie, Francisco and wife Connie, and a daughter, Maria Arambula and husband Louis; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Besides his wife, his eldest son, Gabriel Jr., preceded him in death.

Recitation of the rosary will be at 7 p.m. Sunday and Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday, both at St. William’s Catholic Church in Fort Lupton. Interment will be in Hillside Cemetery, Fort Lupton.

Bostick Funeral Home in Fort Lupton is in charge of arrangements.

It all started like this...

So my dad and I were talking this saturday about how awesome my grandpa is and how full of storie he is. The more I thought about it, with a little proding from my dad ("You are a writer you should be writing all this stuff down"). I'm going to start writing about my grandpa, and about the cool stories that he has. The plan is to go visit him every other week and just listen. Then come back and report on what he had to say.

I may start doing this with the rest of my family too. I would love to get some stories about my grandma on here too, maybe even some of the memories that my cousins and I have, or my aunts and uncles. We'll just have to see where this takes us you know.

That is all for now, just wanted to get a quick little note up. I'm working on the first article right now, I should have it up by the end of the week. Then I'm going to visit my grandpa on sunday (maybe watch the Bronco game with them).

Gabriel