Zapata, Jose peacefully passed away on Thursday, October 19, 2023 in a nursing home in Encinitas, California. He was 91 years old.

Jose was born in San Antonio, Texas on 8/17/1932 to Maria Salvador Cordova and Eliseo Zapata Rodriguez, although he never knew his father.   When Jose was 2 years old his mother took him back to her hometown  Michoacan, Mexico.  At a young age, Jose returned to the United States to work in the California agriculture fields.   At age 18 he went back to Michoacan and married Maria Rangel Ruiz and had a total of 13 children together.  Jose brought his family to the United States in 1976.  He is survived by his 10 children, Juan Carlos, Victor, Miguel, Maria, Jose, Jorge, Leticia, Lidia, Amparo, & Juana.  Descanse en paz padre.