Gregorio Ornelas

Gregorio “Greg” Escobedo Ornelas 

April 21, 1936 - April 27, 2024

Gregorio Ornelas, 88, passed away on April 27, 2024. He was born in Solomon, Arizona in 1936 to Gregorio and Isabel “Chavela” Ornelas. His sister Lola gave him his beloved nickname “Boy” after “Lolo” didn’t stick. “George” was his American name at school, a man of many names. Boy’s proudest moment as a child was delivering newspapers on the backroads of Solomon to the train station. Swimming in the river with the big kids was his funnest memory. Early in age, he served as an altar boy at Our Lady of Guadalupe.

After deciding to leave high school to help his dad work at a vegetable farm in Duncan at 16, the bosses of Phelps Dodge mine in Morenci, Arizona saw what a hard worker Boy was and hired him. He was a dedicated worker there for 28 years. After many years, he took pride in taking care of the maintenance needs at Mono Village Resort in Bridgeport, California. In his later years, he was part of the informal local senior citizen breakfast club at Burger King, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Carl’s Jr.  Boy loved to dance, cook, bowl and make turquoise jewelry.

Boy was a devoted and loving father to Monica, Paul, Gloria (Rene), Freddy (Lore), Armando, and Roberto (Becky), step-daughter Vickie Thompson and grandson Anthony Jon Thompson who will miss hearing his stories and eating his big pots of green and red chili and calabazitas at Christmas. Boy was preceded in death by his parents, Gregorio and Isabela Ornelas and grandparents Pedro & Maria Escobedo and Gregorio & Josefa Ornelas and Marie Ornelas. Boy is survived by his sister Dolores “Lola” Bertoldo & Martin, and Carol Ornelas, 14 grandchildren, and 22 great grandchildren.

Services will be held May 10, 2024 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Solomon with the Rosary being held at 9:00 a.m. and a Mass of Christian Burial following at 10:00 a.m.  He will be laid to rest at a later date.

Arrangements are under the direction of McDougal's Caldwell Funeral Chapel & Gila Valley Crematory located at 112 E Main Street, Safford, Arizona.   928-428-1740