Our Dear Father, Henry Leonard Arellanes, Sr., also known to his family as Hank, Tata, Tata 2, Brother, and Uncle, passed away on June 24, 2013 to join his Lord. Hank was 7th generation Santa Barbaran who was born on August 28, 1921 to his Parents, Louis Arellanes and Carolina Cota Arellanes, was one of six children, and grew up on the Eastside of downtown Santa Barbara on Santa Barbara St. He attended Lincoln School, Santa Barbara Jr. High, and Santa Barbara High School.
Because both of his parents passed away by the time he was 17 years old, Dad dropped out of High School to care for and support his younger Sisters, Barbara and Carmen Arellanes. Shortly thereafter, he and his younger Brother Chuck joined the US Navy in 1941 together to serve in WWII. He married our Mother, Mary Louise Cota, on July 17, 1942 at Our Lady of Sorrows Church. Dad served for five years, was assigned to the USS Chester, attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer, and returned home to Santa Barbara to his family.
Dad worked for Lyons Van & Storage as a driver and warehouse super-intendent for many years, and retired from Oceaneering in 1986. Hank and Louisa celebrated 54 years of marriage in 1996 prior to Mom’s passing on January 9, 1997. In his early years, Dad liked to fish, hunt, camp, ocean swim, play baseball, and liked watching football and basketball. He also was a really good dancer, especially with Mom as his partner.
Our Dad gave us a strong work ethic led by his example of how he took care of us as his family. Both Mom and Dad raised us in a church-going Catholic home, attending Sunday Mass as a family, and Sunday Family Days for just the four of us to go out together. We were surrounded with kindness, love, laughter, music, dancing, and lots of gatherings and parties celebrated with family and friends, and crazy fun Sock-It-To-Me camping trips. Ours was a home that everyone liked to visit and hang around.
Hank is predeceased by his Parents, Brothers William, Edmund, and Charles Arellanes, Sr., Great Grandson Jonathan Koga, and his “Ever-Loving” Louisa.
Dad is survived by his Son, Henry Arellanes, Jr. and much-loved Daughter -in-Law, Patricia Arellanes, Daughter Anita Arellanes Leski, Grand children: Julie (Rick) Koga, Gary Arellanes, Denita Leski, and Anden (Jessica) Leski, and Great Grandchildren: Amanda, Daniel, and Sierra Koga, and Anne and Katelyn Leski. Also, his dear Sisters, Barbara Medel (Lucio) and Carmen Arellano (Ed) survive him; his Godson Michael (Mary) Alvarado, Niece Leola Pacheco and Husband William Pacheco (Dad’s close friend), special Nieces (and their Husbands) Gloria & Les Merrill, Tina & Bob Koyle, and special Nephew Sam (Irene) Cota, and numerous Nieces, Nephews, and family friends.
Viewing will be held at Welch-Ryce-Haider, 15 E. Sola St., on Thursday, June 27th, from 2-4 p.m.
Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday, June 28th, at St. Raphael’s Catholic Church, 5444 Hollister Ave., at 10 a.m. with a luncheon reception afterwards in the Hall.
On Saturday, June 29th , a Military Service is scheduled at 10 a.m. at Calvary Cemetery, 199 N. Hope Ave.
