Saul Aguilar Alvarado

Saul Aguilar Alvarado was born in Calexico on October 21, 1956 as the youngest of 5 children to Raul and Carmen Alvarado. Affectionately known as “Chapulin” (Grasshopper), he grew up in El Centro with his siblings and many cousins, loved baseball and played in Little League for years. He was also kicker on the football team for Central Union High School. As a youngster, he often accompanied his mother to help pick cotton, grapes, potatoes, or any other crop that needed harvesting from Northern to Southern California. It is there he learned about hard labor, endurance, perseverance, and the need for a good education. After graduation from high school, Saul completed studies at Los Angeles Trade Technical College where he learned to become an electrician. After working for Honeywell in Torrance and the THUMS oil islands in Long Beach Harbor, he bought a house in Moreno Valley, CA in 1984 with his growing family, and eventually landed a job as a maintenance electrician at University of California – Riverside in October 1987. He also did many electrical jobs around the community after work or on the weekends. After 35 years with UCR, he retired in June 2021 and spent his days transporting his granddaughters to and from school, helping watch his grandson, going to car shows, providing electrical work for many, and maintaining his meticulous yard. His retirement dream was to travel more and be a “professional futzer”. He was a die-hard fan of the Minnesota Vikings football team and loved to watch USC football. An avid dove hunter, he also liked to snowboard and fish. He brought joy to many in the neighborhood with his elaborate Christmas light displays. Saul was a gentle, loving and generous man who always had a smile on his face and a joke or funny saying to share. He loved to travel and he and his family were blessed to enjoyed many camping trips to Lake Tahoe, year-round adventures in many states and European countries, and made many friends at the many car shows he entered. He was filled with pride over his family’s accomplishments, was a beloved and well-known member of the UCR community, and always willing to give a helping hand to family, friends, and church. In the early morning of October 20, 2024, just shy of his 68th birthday, Saul lost his hard-fought battle with bladder cancer quietly and peacefully in his Riverside home, surrounded by the love of his devoted family who cared for him throughout this past year. He found it especially hard to leave his wife, Maria, son Andrew (Sandee), daughter Ariana (Aric) Abadie, and his beloved grandchildren Tyler, Eleanor, Gwendolyn, and Sawyer as well as his sister Olivia (Benny) Fernandez, Kaitlyn and Steven, Melissa (Scott), sister Yvonne Alvarado, brother Raul Alvarado Jr., and son Saul Jr. He also leaves behind beloved uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews and nieces, and will be greatly missed by his extended family, especially in-laws on all sides of the family, and many, many friends. He is predeceased by his parents, Raul and Carmen, his brother Steven, and half-brother, Joe. Life is like telling a story; it’s important how it was lived, not how long it was. In his too-short life, Saul left a legacy of love, kindness, humility, and gentleness. The family wishes to thank all those who provided support in so many ways during this difficult time, especially those family members and friends who were brave enough to tell Saul how they truly felt about him while he was alive. Don’t hesitate telling people how much they mean to you while you can. For service information, please use the contact information provided below. Please text or call Ariana for service information 951-201-2164

Saul Aguilar Alvarado

October 21, 1956 - October 20, 2024