Obituary of Jose De Leon

DOB 01/15/1978 DOD 09/28/2024 Jose Ines M. DeLeon I would like to begin by thanking all of you for coming to celebrate Joe’s life. Joe was the most loving, kind, and fun person I’ve ever known, and I know many of you would agree. He loved helping and serving anyone in need, putting a smile on the faces that surrounded him, and making sure everyone was having the time of their lives when they were with him. It is impossible to capture all that was Joe in a eulogy, but I am going to try my best to make him proud. Jose Ines M. DeLeon (“Liddo” little in a Spanish accent, Joe, Joey, The Flying Lion) was born on January 15, 1978, in Moses Lake, WA. He was the first child of Oscar DeLeon and Janie Martinez. Joe spent the first six years of his life being loved and spoiled by many but would have to learn to share that when he finally became a big brother to RubyLinda. It only took one look at his precious little sister for him to fall completely in love and vowed to protect her forever. Some years later his parents divorced, Oscar remarried, and Joe became a big brother to Rufino, Oscar Jr., and Julia. He loved being a big brother and always tried to be the best example for us all. In 1995, at the youthful age of 17, Joe met a beautiful young lady named Nancy who was just 15 years old, they began a long-distance relationship, and she quickly became the love of his life. They married the following year on June 28, 1996, and made their home in Othello, WA. On April 5, 1997, they welcomed their first baby boy, Jose Ines (Baby Joe). From that day on, he strived every day to be the best father. Ten years later, they would welcome their second son, Jordan Joe, on May 18, 2007. Finally, on his very own birthday January 15, 2011, he would be gifted with a precious princess of his own, Jenavee Joy. His children were his pride and joy. He loved playing with them, pushing them to be their best, and he loved passing down his knowledge and skills to prepare them for a better life. Since birth, everyone quickly realized that Joe was special. He had a gift to love immensely and had no problem showing it. He loved all his Tio’s, Tia’s, Primos, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, daughter-in-law, and friends dearly and developed a special and unique relationship with each and every one of them. It would take hours to share each person’s special relationship with Joe, but I’m sure all of them could tell you what made their relationship so special without hesitation. Joe went to school in Othello from Elementary to High School. Shortly before graduating High School, he chose to begin his career in truck driving. Within a few years, he started his own company, Flying Lions Express. He learned how to fix anything and was always willing to help anyone who needed something fixed whether it be on a semi, car, house, yard, etc. Sometimes he would even put other’s needs before his own. At a very young age Joe developed a love for off-road vehicles. The sand dunes were one of his favorite places to have a good time. He enjoyed it even more when friends and family could join in on the fun. He also enjoyed spending time in the water on his jet ski. Anytime he could round up some friends and family to go out to the lakes or the sand dunes, Joe was genuinely happy. We all knew if Joe was there, we were going to have the best time. Joe is survived by his wife Nancy, children Joe (Savannah), Jordan, and Jenavee, mother Janie, father Oscar, sister RubyLinda (Juan), niece Anaiah, brother Rufino, brother Oscar Jr. (Tania), niece Jade, sister Julia (Ricardo). Joe was preceded in death by his grandparents Mercedes Martinez, Julia Ozuna De Leon, Jose Ines De Leon, and Celedonio Martinez, his uncle Jose Ines De Leon (Joey) and his aunt Esther Cano. No matter where Joe went or who he encountered, he always left a mark on those he interacted with. “Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.” -Dalai Lama. I have no doubt in my mind that Joe’s legacy will live on in the hearts of each and every one of us who were blessed to have known him. We deeply appreciate you all coming to celebrate Joe’s incredible life.