Julia Ruiz

A visitation with Closed Casket Viewing will be held at Rose Hills Mortuary, 3888 Workman Mill Rd, Whittier, California 90601, US, on June 4, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

A funeral service will be held at Rose Hills Memorial Park - Hillside Chapel, 3888 Workman Mill Rd, Whittier, California 90601, US, on June 5, 2026, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am.

Julia’s final resting place will be at Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Rd, Whittier, in Primrose Lawn, Gate 1, Row 3, Lot 1424, Space 2.

Julia Ruiz died after a long battle with Lewy Body Dementia on Sunday, May 24, 2026. She passed away peacefully in her home of 66 years in Pico Rivera, California; She was 95 years old. Julia Castillo was born on July 14, 1930 in San Bernardino, California to Bernardino and Maria (Avila). She was the eldest of 10 children who she helped care for and loved deeply. Even at a young age she taught them English to prepare them for school, made sure they got up and out to school on time, and left school at age 15 to help support her parents’ growing family. As a teen she worked first as a mother’s helper and then as a nurse’s aid.

After living most of her life in section houses in San Bernardino, Julia married Manuel Ruiz, a childhood friend, in 1950 and moved with him to Los Angeles. They had three children: Gilbert, Raquel and Mark Anthony. Julia worked as a machine operator for 33 years at General Can Co. Then in the 1990s she worked several years with her sister, Mollie, logging in new merchandise at Penneys. She also worked as a hospice volunteer for Kaiser Permanente during the 1990s.

Julia was the money manager of the family. Through her guidance, she and Manuel bought their first new car in 1959 and their home in 1960, on a cook’s and factory worker’s salary. While raising a family and working fulltime, she went back to night school and earned her high school diploma in 1970, an El Rancho High School graduate. After graduation she studied painting and became a prolific amateur artist.

Julia will be remembered for her devotion and loyalty to family, her love of travel, her extensive Lladro collection, her generosity, her eagerness to learn, her willingness to listen, and for much more. She will be missed.

She was predeceased by her brothers John and Augustine, and her sister, Lucy Colunga. She is survived by her children Gilbert (Robin), Raquel (Stephen Haber) and Mark Anthony (Wendy), and by her siblings Mollie Gradias, Louie (Rachel), Anna (Joe) Baeza, Daniel (Sonia), Carol (Gene) Mastas and Mary Helen (Peter) Fishering. She also leaves behind her “adopted” children Patrick and Janet Martinez, six grandchildren and multiple great grandchildren.