Cresencio "Chris" Velasquez Jr.

Cresencio Velasquez Jr. (Chris) was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. He left this world peacefully on Sunday April 2, 2023, at the age of 80, in Ivins, Utah. He was born to Cresencio Velasquez Sr. and Vicenta Castillo on January 15, 1943.

After graduating from high school, Chris enlisted into the Navy in 1962 and was honorably discharged in 1976. He served six tours in the Vietnam War. He traveled extensively around the world as a Naval combat photographer. During his last tour he had to deal with blindness caused by a brain tumor. He was awarded a Purple Heart, two Oak Leaf Clusters, and a Presidential Unit Citations. He went on to attend Brigham Young University Provo and graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and History. He later attended one year as a postgraduate at Western State School of Law San Diego. He visited 54 countries in his lifetime. He was fluent in Spanish, had a working knowledge of Tagalog and conversational Italian.

Chris was very enthusiastic, fun, and he always had a smile and a joke to share. He loved the guitar, playing sports, loved to sing, driving cars, and listening to music. He could always share an interesting fact of trivia in relation to whatever was going on at the moment. He never let his blindness stop him from doing what he wanted even if that meant riding in the passenger seat of the car while telling the driver how to drive! He was always quick to help those in need. He enjoyed good food and loved going out to eat and surrounding himself with friends and family at the table.

One of his jokes he liked to tell:

A duck walks into a bar, and asks the bartender, "Do you have any grapes?"

The bartender says, "I'm sorry, Duck. We're a bar, and so we have wine and beer and mixed drinks, but no grapes." The duck is sad, and leaves the bar.

The next night, the duck comes back into the bar and asks, "Do you have any grapes?"

The bartender says, "No, Duck, I told you last night. We don't have any grapes! And if you come back in here tomorrow night asking for grapes, I will nail your beak to the bar!" The duck hops down off the bar and runs out the door.

The next night, the bartender is waiting for the duck to come back in, and sure enough, he does. The bartender grits his teeth as the duck asks, "Do you have any hammers?"

The bartender explodes. "What? No, of course I don't have any hammers!"

So the duck says, "Do you have any grapes?"

Cresencio is survived by his wife Susann and her children: Kay Lynn Harper, Katherine Parker, Tracee (Rolla) Sessum, Melvin Dane (Christabel) Parker. By his siblings: Baldemar, Joe, Belia, Irma, Rick, Emily, and Dan. By his former wife, Maria Elena Llamas, and their three children: Rosanna Amparo (Jojo) Alvarado, Victor Martin Velasquez, and Miguel Antonio Velasquez. By his former wife, Emilia Vallejo, and their twin daughters: Christina (Francisco) Gomez and Carmen (Carlos) Gamboa. By his 9 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, and his best friend Dick Camp. Preceded in death by his parents and brother Oscar.

We express a very special thanks to the loving caregivers at Southern Utah Veterans Home Ivins, especially to Sandra Kaibetoney, Rocky Fritts, Tanja, and the unconditional love and care of his best friend Dick Camp.

There will be a visitation Monday, April 10, 2023, from 9:00 – 10:30 am at Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S Bluff Street, St. George, Utah.

The Funeral Service will be Monday, April 10, 2023, at 11:00 am in the Spilsbury Mortuary Chapel.

Family and friends who are unable to attend are invited to view the funeral service online by clicking on the link below.

Video on Demand

Military Honors and Interment will be in the Washington City Cemetery at 12:15 pm, 300 Park View Drive, Washington, Utah.

Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S Bluff Street, St. George, Utah. 435-673-2454. Family and friends are invited to sign Chris’s online guest book at www.spilsburymortuary.com