Mom's in TOWN!!!

First Photo: Jason, Tiffany, Missy (trying to hide my double chin)
Second Photo: Mom and Cousin Terry
Third Photo: My Handsome Boys, Jason, Taylor and Tanner


First Photo: Tiffany and Robbie
Second Photo: Brent, Uncle Steve and Jordan
Third Photo: Mom and Robbie

Uncle Steve and Tiffany

First Photo: Jeff, Jordan and Mom

Second Photo: Jeff and Mom

Third Photo: Callie (Robbie's wife) and Tanner

THANKS UNCLE STEVE and JEFF for DINNER!!!

Junior Nationals start this week. This is much different than last year! Our family is more "behind the scenes" since it's in our home rink. Sunday, we volunteered all day and night preparing for Junior Nationals. It's amazing how much work is involved in so many different areas. The place looks wonderful and exciting. I will post photos tomorrow of the location. Cordero (skater who stayed a few weeks over the summer to train) qualified for Jr. Nationals and we spent time with his family. What a terrific family and we enjoyed their company. This morning I picked up Mom from the airport and our first stop...the rink. She started her volunteer shift as part of the Medical Staff. Jordan also practiced a few hours. The atmosphere is energizing...glass is removed from the rinks, windows are covered, vendors are setting up, banners are located throughout the building, officials are arriving and the hundreds of people make our facility packed! What seems weird is heading home instead of a hotel. Skating was OK for Jordan, it's a Monday with so much activity going on in her little "home". She loves having Grandma spend the week with us and I am excited to share this week with her and the boys. Jordan is in Group A and competes Wednesday at 3:35 pm. (Admission is $15.00) We then met family for dinner. We saw my cousin Robbie, who I haven't seen since the day I was married - over 17 years ago!!! We had a great time enjoying each others company and of course, sharing stories about Dad...sure miss him!

Don't Make Us MAD!!!

Tanner was trying to be funny and he wasn't..This is our classic look of "we are not falling for it!" What's worse then Mom being mad, it's Aunt Missy!!!

Thanksgiving Photos

After a little tug of war with Cubby, I won and took home Dad's very nice digitial camera. I still have his last photos he took the day he died. The camera is wonderful and I know Dad would love the photos we are taking.

Thanksgiving Dinner

I made dinner....it wasn't great but good enough to eat. I made a mess with the marshmellows on the yams. They boiled over, so I just added more. I made more funeral potatoes but didn't add enough stuff to make it creamy and according to Missy, the turkey was missing brownish skin. However, we made it. The first Thanksgiving without Dad and we were OK.

Coming Home

Coming home to Utah wasn't as easy as I thought. We have constant reminders that Dad is gone. Monday morning we woke up late and needed to call our carpool. As I was searching for a number in the directory, I found a yellow sticky note from Dad to Taylor inside the directory. Later in the day, I started to unpack and went through my Dad's photos on his camera. I found pictures he took of the kitchen he painted hours before he died. I then received my cell phone bill and noticed the last call I made to Dad. Jordan has been wearing the necklace and charm that my Dad gave her last year. In between sessions, we ran an errand and when she returned someone noticed her necklace was off and the charm was missing. We searched for an hour and could not find it. I fought back the tears because I didn't want Jordan upset, she still needed to skate. So while she was skating, I searched again outside and I had a little conversation with God. I couldn't fall apart over a simple little charm but yet I was determined to find it. Within 15 minutes I noticed something shiny on the ground...I found it!

Yesterday, a good friend gave me great advice. She too has experienced similar pain and she said, "You never get over the pain of losing someone so close to you, you just learn how to live with it. Stop thinking you can get over it, you won't, but you will learn to how to deal with it."

So, we plug along another day. I am just happy Mom is coming next week for Jr. Nationals. Be sure to visit my Dad's website www.homero.us and click on "Contact Us"...it cheers me up!

Dad's Website

We have a few more changes but for now everyone can view the video...Enjoy
PS Have tissues near by!


www.homero.us

Photos of the Service

A FEW of the flower arrangments...


Uncle Larry, Mom, Aunt Sam and Uncle Steve
Gathering of the younger generation...
Taylor, Missy, Colette, Calafia, Karli, Bigo, Casandra, Tanner, Cubby and Kristi



Karil, Aunt Sam, Kristi and Uncle Ken
Calafia, Colette and Casandra

Tanner, Jordan and Taylor

More photos to come in the next few days...It was a beautiful service with close to 350 people. I don't know if Dad really knew how many people loved him. It was a beautiful service shared with many tears and laughter.

Preparing for the Service

On Friday after a memorial service at River Rock, we met back at the church to set up tables and chairs and finalize the service arrangements. The first photo is of Meagan and Cubby...we LOVE Meagan and want Cubby to marry her (hint!). Missy, Meagan and I really felt a bond that I know will continue for many, many years to come. Thanks Meagan, for being so special!!! Now, everyone deserves a friend like the McQuoid's, Desmond and Kathleen are great friends of ours. We go way back. Desmond spoke at the service and Kathleen helped with all the food and making arrangements. This would not be possible without Desmond and Kathleen. Everyone thanks you!

Karli, Missy and Jordan. The next photo is the LARGE screen that projected Dad's video. The video was approx. 15 minutes with photos, video clips of my parents wedding and a flood full of memories. The music was perfect, the sound was amazing and the pictures were priceless. We were testing the system Friday evening.


Now you get four girls, with little amount sleep, who have been crying for a week and just returned from a memorial service at River Rock and what starts to happen....a Dance Marathon. As the video was playing we made up a dance and jumped on stage...we were the "Popets". We had so much fun just laughing and singing!

The Popets - Tiffany, Missy, Karli and Meagan


We had a moment being so close and watching the video. It was no longer a photo on the screen, it was Dad up close. I hope to have the video up soon. It's truly amazing!

Family Photos during the Past Week

Taylor, Grandma and Tanner with Ajax, who looks so sad! Mom is amazing. She was the last one to go to bed and the first one up in the morning. We spent HOURS going through photos, scanning and sharing stories. Now, as you view these photos please remember they captured our family gathering together which makes us smile but we each had our private moments as we cried and grieved together. Many asked after the service how we stayed so strong...easy answer, it was Mom.

We made three large posters of various photo's of Dad. The next photo is Colette, Casandra, Calafia and Tiffany. They are my Uncle Nelson's (Dad's brother) children from Oregon and Washington. They drove all night to be with us. We had so much fun spending time with them!

Meagan and Missy....Taylor and Jordan

Uncle Ken and Kristi...she is expecting a girl in February! The other photo is Cubby, Mom and Bigo (Dad's nephew).


Tanner walking Ajax. With all the commotion I must admit they were very well behaved. The boys, Ajax and Bodie, keep looking for Dad:( Missy and I had a terrific time with Karli. She stayed with us and camped out in Dad's room. Karli was a huge help and I loved staying up late catching up on General Hospital and trying to get some sleep. We had a chance to act like little girls. We use to have sleep overs and stay up singing and dancing. Karli was helping us make the centerpieces for the memorial. It was a putting green that had a golf ball and the flag was a photo of Dad on the golf course.

Comments from Friends and Family

This is a favorite photo of mine. I stayed with Dad for a week after his surgery and though I caused him much pain with therapy, I had a wonderful time eating dinner with him in his bed and cuddling while we watched "Deal or No Deal". Cubby and I built his new exercise bike. My Dad was so silly. Everytime he rode the bike, he would wear the bike helmet because he said, "It's the law!". He also had a horn that he would honk while he was riding it.

Homero will be missed more than words can say. I am really going to miss his sense of humor and his cooking. I remember the picture he had on the fridge of an Elvis impersonator whose outfit was a tad bit tight. He told me that it was a model for his next Halloween costume. I half-way believed that he would do it. The two of us laughed at that picture every time I visited. He was great with kids – always found a way to make them laugh and have fun. My son, Jayden, had so much fun with Homero playing Spiderman together when we last visited. It really takes someone special to be able to have fun with anyone and everyone.I wish I could have attended the services, but I know that staying home with the kids allowed Karli to be there 100%. My heart and my prayers go out to the whole family.

-Jeremy Stearns

I feel so at home here in New Jersey, and yet I feel so far away from home right now. But I take comfort at my keyboard, because here, I can grieve with my family.
Homero was one of the best Father’s I’ve ever known! I loved and admired how he truly adored his family. He always made me feel loved and special too.
Homero taught me what self-perception was. About 20 years ago……. We were at Karen’s watching Dirty Dancing… Patrick Swaze was confidently dancing across a LOG….. From the recliner, Homero says, “ That’s just like ME”…….. We all laughed sooooooo hard. And to this day, I don’t care what Patrick Swaze does, when I see him, I think of Homero, because if he could see himself in Swaze, I can too… Lol J
I love and miss all of you.

-Kim Thompson

We are your mom and dads backyard neighbors, Steve and Debbie Bartleson. We feel very honored that we had the opportunity of knowing your dad, a WONDERFUL man. Steve and Homer use to talk every once in a while over the fences, but our friendship evolved at River Rock. On occasions when we had time to include eating in our River Rock adventure, we would go into the Restaurant, order some food and visit with Homer. He always came to the table to make sure that everything was just right for us. There were several times he would just pull up a seat and start conversing with us. When we parted it was always with a tight handshake with Steve and a hug with me. He was a warm man who genuinely cared about people. He would ask Steve when he saw him at River Rock, "Hey Steve, what about our fence", when are we going to fix it ?" Steve would reply, " what do you think I'm doing here Homer, trying to win the money for one". Homer would walk away laughing. He use to joke around with us, saying we also worked the graveyard shift with him. The last time I saw Homer at River Rock was about 6 weeks ago. I ran into him in the hallway. He asked me how I was doing. We both did a little complaining, him about his knee and myself about my foot. I told him to hang in, it would get better. We gave each other a hug and he was on his way.

When your family came to the door the other day and gave us the sad news, we were devastated. The shocking news left me crying all night long. To make it even harder, while I stand at my kitchen sink, I can see your backyard which is a constant reminder that he is no longer with us and will be greatly missed.

-Steve and Debbie Bartleson

Update on Dad

Missy, Mom and I were able to view Dad on Wednesday. He looked angelic and it brought closure for Missy and I. He had a beautiful, peaceful smile and I could tell he was in the room with us, his girls. Dad was cremated with his LA Dodger hat, Rocky shirt and personal notes. I also left him with .58 cents, the amount he had when he arrived to the United States. It was a beautiful day. Today family are arriving from New Mexico, Washington and Utah. It will be nice to see everyone. Taylor finished the video, it is beyond words to describe the music, photos and film. Thank you Taylor. I also picked up Dad. We went for a drive in his car, listened to Hispanic music, I even pretended to know the words and sing along. We stopped for some Mexican food and I brought him home. We appreciate your prayers, thoughts, cards and flowers. River Rock is having a service on Friday at 3:00 pm. My Dad would love knowing his family will be gathering at River Rock with the employees...and play a few slots too:)

My thoughts and prayers are with you! Homer was a special man with a kind heart. His last visit to Utah and ProTel, earned many friends. He was very generous with a smile and had a great attitude. I feel blessed to have met him, and even special, because I received a copy of his favorite salsa recipe. Listening to Missy talk about her Dad - he was a Hero to her. I could feel the love they shared together. May God comfort you in your time of sorrow, but know this is just the beginning-it is not the end.

-Travis Judd

River Rock

Today we traveled to River Rock in Dad's car. I am not a big fan of Dad's Chrysler 300 but I enjoyed the final ride to River Rock. I love coming to California because Dad and I usually spent an afternoon playing at the Casino and eating a meal at River Rock. Dad was a supervisor at the restaurant. We always had so much fun playing the penny machines. Dad thought I had the gambling addiction! We were so touched by the response we felt at River Rock. Customers and employees were greeting us and wanting to share how important Dad was to them. We ate terrific food as employees from different departments of the casino spoke with us. We met those who worked with him on his last day, while others shared such kind stories about Dad. I always knew how sweet and loving his was, but to hear others share how their life is changed because of Dad was overwhelming. I don't know if Dad ever understood the difference he made to others. We cried and laughed together. They showed my mom his favorite slot machine...and while we played, Taylor sat in my Dad's chair at the table everyone gathered around during the work hours. Taylor started to work on the DVD we are showing at the service, other employees noticed his work and soon we had a crowd watching this amazing video that captures my Dad's personality through photos, film and music. After this very special afternoon and $100.00 richer from the penny machines, I stepped outside to the sun setting and felt so close to my Dad. I loved being in his surroundings and people that loved him so dearly. It was very healing to spend the afternoon at River Rock. We are returning Friday with additional family members for a special service for Dad. Thank you River Rock, for being so important to my Father!!!

I received this email from one of the employees.

Sundays were always me and his day. It was super busy in the restaurant, and i hate sundays there, but he made it so much more better. Being at the hostess stand teasing me and the others, it was fun. He would always send me back and forth to go check the T.V screen to see if our team the 49ners were going to actually win a game. As always they didnt but he was such a huge fan of the Niners. He loved them, and thats why i said on my headline. He has the heart of gold and red. ( Niner Colors ) His family was and friends and Us at the restaurant were everything to him and he loved all of us to the max! " Yeah, he truly was an Angel."
The last night i saw him was 2 days before he died. We had so much fun that night. I usually hate tuesday swings but he made it worth being there. The last thing i ever said to him before i left that night was, " See you Friday homie, you tha man you tha man." and he replied, " You bet baby! Thankyou for your help and see you soon." We did our little handshake and that was the last time i ever got to see him. I sit in my lunch room in our spot where him and I used to sit and take our breaks together from a hard days work. Sitting alone at that table is hard. As the door swings open back and forth i dont see him come through. From card dealers, to pit bosses, security officers, and slot key attendents, It is everyone im not hoping to see. Im waiting for that guy who walks in with a smile, nice suit, and sits beside me and eats up quickly a cup of cottage cheese before work time. Without Him is like a lake with no water, a storm without rain, and a feather away from its headdress. Heavenly Father has him with him and hes now another sparkling star added to the sky. He truly was a One in a Million. I know throughout this time of writing i didnt mention his name. But its because i wanted you to get a feel of who he was before you knew who it was."Yeah, he truly was an Angel." With that said, HOMER HUERTA.......I LOVE YOU I MISS YOU AND I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU. YOU WERE MY FRIEND AND I WILL KEEP YOU CLOSEST TO MY HEART FOREVER. IT WILL NEVER BE THE SAME WITHOUT YOU. AND EVEN THOUGH THEM NINERS SUCK HOMIE, I WILL PRAY AND TELL YOU THE SCORE. I LOVE YOU HOMIE, FOREVER YOU STAY A FRIEND AND IN MY HEART........

-Lynnise Garcia

Obituary

http://www.parentsorensen.com/Obituaries/

The obituary is completed and will be printed in the IJ and Press Democrat Wednesday and Thursday. Above is the link to read the obituary and view Dad's photo. We have started to receive questions about flowers and donations.

Where can I send flowers?
Send them to Mom's house.

Can I make a donation?
In leau of flowers, donations can be made to two organizations that are important to our family.

Shriners Hospital
Office of Development
2900 Rocky Point Dr.
Tampa, FL 33607

Marin Humane Society
171 Bel Marin Keys
Novato, CA 94949

We appreciate the flowers and donations

but what gives us greater comfort

is you remembering the times spent with Dad.

Grandpa

He loved spending time with his grandkids! Taylor and Tanner have great memories hitting golf balls in our backyard and Dad enjoyed watching their baseball and football games. This year he watched Taylor pitch for High School. The boys loved getting lost in his den and Dad always had some sort of "junk" to give to them. We found hundreds of Jordan's photos of skating in his den. He was so proud of them!