Jorge Arvizu Tovar passed away on Saturday surrounded by family. He was a true renaissance man whose varied interests and charisma made him so unforgettable.

Born in Mexico he studied architecture at university and was heavily involved with local politics until he met the love of his life, Esperanza, and moved to California to marry her. With a new start came the challenges of humble beginnings, but he worked his way up from a floor boy to chief chemist at Grove Valve & Regulator Company, working on such projects as the Alaska Pipeline. He pursued continued education at UC Berkeley and later became involved in K-12 education as a specialist in bilingual methodology, a job he truly loved.

Jorge is survived by his loving wife, Esperanza, his two daughters, Hope and Maria, and his three grandchildren, Virginia, Gabriel and Manuel. He is also survived by beloved nephew, Eduardo Botello. His smile and his spirit will be dearly missed by the many people whose lives he touched.

Friends and family are invited to a funeral service on Friday, Jan. 2, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. at Sunset View Mortuary, 101 Colusa Ave in El Cerrito. Burial to follow.