Julio Escobar

Julio “JJ” Escobar, 91, died October 5, 2024, at his assisted living apartment in Aurora, CO, just two months and three days after the death of his wife, Esther Rodriguez Escobar. Julio was born on January 9, 1931, in Brooklyn, NY, to Sara Rivera and Pablo Escobar, both of Ponce, Puerto Rico. He was the fourth of five children. His mother and younger brother died during childbirth when Julio was 3 years old. Shortly after, Pablo traveled back to Puerto Rico and returned home to New York with the woman Julio regarded throughout his life as his mother, Ramona Encarnacion. Following the death of his older brother, Pablo Jr. “Sonny,” in the Korean War, Julio joined the U.S. Army at age 17 and served in Korea and Japan from 1950 through 1953.

 Two years later, Julio met his wife-to-be, Esther Rodriguez, at a candy store in Brooklyn. They were married In June 1957 when she was 18 and he was 24. Julio worked at numerous jobs until finding work with the US Postal Service. Esther worked in the Garment District and then at several commercial banks on Wall Street. Four years later, they welcomed their son, John, into the world, working different shifts to share parenting duties.

 In 1968, the family moved to Southern California, first living with Esther’s family and later purchasing a home in Cerritos, CA, with the help of the GI Bill. After retiring from the Post Office in 1989, Julio and Esther purchased a new home in Sun City, CA, within just a few blocks of several of Esther’s siblings, where they lived more than 30 years. Starting in 2019, however, health issues made it increasingly difficult to manage activities of daily life. The couple entered an assisted living facility in Corona, CA, in January 2023 after both suffered falls and illnesses. When their health continued to deteriorate, their son and son-in-law moved them to Colorado to better manage their need for higher levels of care. Julio is survived by his son, John Escobar, and son-in-law, Martin Dee, of Denver, CO; three sisters-in-law, Jennie Rodriguez Palacios, Frances Rodriguez Martinez and Carmen Rodriguez, all of California; one brother-in-law, George Rodriguez of Las Vegas, NV; more than 30 nephews and nieces; and countless great-nephews and great- nieces.

 He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Esther Rodriguez Escobar; two sisters, Isabel and Nellie; and brother, Sonny Escobar. Julio will be interred at Fort Logan National Cemetery. No memorial services are planned.