Julio Escobedo Jr., 80, entered into rest early Monday, Aug. 13, 2007. He was at home with his family.

He was born in El Paso, Texas, on June 12, 1927, and grew up in Safford. He graduated from Safford High School and served in the U. S. Navy in World War II, receiving an honorable discharge. He continued his education at Eastern Arizona College and then Arizona State University, where he earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education.

He and Mary Jo Garcia, also from Safford, were married in 1950. They would have celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary on Aug. 18. He moved to Stockton, Calif., in 1952 to begin his career in education with Stockton Unified School District. He taught at Washington Elementary School and at the (old) Fair Oaks School, where be was vice principal. In 1957, he was recruited by Helen Heffernan to the U.S. State Department of Education to work with the Agency for International Development and assigned to the South American country of Ecuador. He lived with his family in Quito and Guayaquil during two tours of duty as a consultant to the Ecuadorean Ministry of Education.

He assisted the country in teacher training, construction of schools and worked with the Alliance for Progress CARE Package program, which was a U.S. program that provided tools, equipment and building materials for developing countries. He also provided orientation to Peace Corps volunteers stationed in Ecuador. He returned to Stockton with his family in 1963, and returned to working with Stockton Unified School District, this time as a counselor to students, serving district-wide.

In 1966, he was invited to work as a consultant with the California Department of Education-Office of Intergroup Relations, where he continued his work of bringing people together for the betterment of education. He was a quietly effective advocate of quality educational opportunities for allchildren. He retired from his educational career in December 1991.

He was active in the Catholic Church and the community of Stockton as a member of many educational and civic organizations, including the Lions Club, the Latin American Club and the Association of Mexican American Educators. Mr. Escobedo served as President of Chartville Parent Teacher Organization, 1974-75. He served on the grand jury for San Joaquin County.

Mr. Escobedo was president of the San Joaquin County Mental Health Board and Member of the Stockton East Water District. He and his wife attended Cursillo, a Spanish language program of scriptural studies and reaffirmation of faith.

Having a love of horses since his childhood, he was able to fulfill and share his equestrian passion with his children. His motto was “You can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy.” An active, hard-working, dedicated person all his life, he kept a balance in his life. When he retired, he continued to maintain and enjoy his outdoor activities of horseback riding and farming. He was a devoted husband and father to his wife and children. He was a very happy first-time grandfather. Two of his daughters and their husbands and his granddaughter came from out of town to be with him during his last few days on earth. Surviving him are his wife, Mary Jo, and children, Carla Jean and Jon Julio of Stockton, Dee Anna (Steven Corday ) from Santa Ana, Calif., Julie Teresa (Jason Gunby) from Athens, Ga.; granddaughter of four months, Olivia Juliet Gunby.

He was an only son. He is preceded in death by his parents, Julio and Petra Escobedo of Safford. He has five sisters who survive him: Romana Forsythe of Tucson, Linda Limon of Calexico, Calif., Nellie Plasencio of Safford, Gloria Campos (Lou Campos) of El Paso, Texas, and Margarita Wulftange (Frank Wulftange) of Safford, along with many loving nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Society for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Catholic Charities and the Hospice of San Joaquin. Friends and family may call at Caldwell Funeral Home on Sunday evening from 6-8 p.m. with recitation of the rosary at 7 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 20, at St. Rose of Lima Church with burial at Safford Cemetery. Arrangements under the direction of McDougal’s Caldwell Chapel.