I would like to adjourn tonight’s meeting in memory of Jose Sanchez, a man who embodied the ideals of friendship, kindness and dedication.
Sadly, Jose passed away earlier this month.
If you’ve eaten at the Way Station Coffee Shop in Old Town Newhall over the last 48 years, chances are really high that you know exactly who Jose was and what he means to so many generations of families in Santa Clarita.
Jose was born in 1954 in Jalisco, Mexico, and was one of six children.
When he was young, his family moved north to the Santa Clarita Valley.
One day in 1974, Jose was rummaging through trash bins behind the Way Station when the owner, Stanley Bronstrup, found him and offered him a job.
Once he started, he didn’t stop.
For more than four and a half decades, Jose was known for his friendly attitude and his ability to make others smile, particularly when they would come into the Way Station for a bite to eat.
Over the years, he showed generosity to others just as he’d received when he was a young man.
Much of Jose’s family worked and continues to work at the Way Station, helping those new to the community find jobs to help establish themselves in the area.
Late in his life, Jose studied hard for and passed the United States citizenship test, and he was extremely proud to become a citizen of a country that had done so much for him and his family.
Our entire community will greatly miss Jose, and our thoughts are with his family and friends during this time.