Life Story

Fillmore - Penned in Fillmore High's 1976 "Copa De Oro", yearbook - a young Lauro Recendez signed off to his graduating peers and fellow underclassmen as follows: "I Lauro Recendez, am glad to leave Fillmore High School and leave the rest of you to suffer."

On Jan 31, 2024, at 5:10 AM, in the home he built, on the street he lived on for 60 years (Lemon Way), in his favorite place - the garage (now converted into a bedroom), a 67-year-lived Lauro Recendez, surrounded by the love of his family, peacefully signed off and was born to God, beginning his spiritual life and, well, "leaving the rest of us to suffer."

Lauro, the eldest of 3, was born to Andres and Josefina Recendez on October 10, 1956, in the Mexican State of Zacatecas in a small city known as General Enrique Estrada. When Lauro was 8, his family emigrated to Fillmore, CA on the Bracero Program of the 60's. For the next 60 years, the street of Lemon Way would watch Lauro grow and evolve as a human - from kid to man, from man to husband, from husband to father, from student to graduate, from graduate to field worker, from field worker to musician, from musician to architect, from architect to member of the local community program and Fillmore's planning commission. Lemon Way was his home and his playground, Fillmore was his park, and the County of Ventura became his amphitheater - literally and figuratively - he played, designed, and created.

Lemon Way served as the soil of Lauro's upbringing. That soil was made up of families that were united through the Braceros Program - they were the Montañes, Reyes, Felix, Martinez, Bravo, Rico, Vaca, Avalos, and Ruiz families (to name a few). The elders watched Lauro grow while their youngsters became some of Lauro's lifelong friends (Pepé, Gonzaló, Felipé - just to name a few).

It was in school that Lauro started his journey in music while also making more lifelong friends (Lino, Evaristo, Rudy, and Jesus - to name a few). With Rudy and Rudy's older brother Alberto (plus others), they formed the band Los Extraños - he was in his teens when he got his start on the trumpet. Lauro was a band member for ~4 decades - in those 4 decades he mastered the keyboards, sound engineering, and driving a huge bus. On that bus, they traveled and performed in Nevada, California, Washington, and as far as Chicago. They recorded 3 full-length albums and appeared on Univision a few times. He continued to forge relationships with countless people - Chuy, Javier, René, David, Beto, Rubio, Armando, Ernie, Gerardo - all to whom he served not only as a bandmate but as a brother.

Had it not been for music, he would've never met the love of his life, Maria Del Carmen in 1979. Lauro and Carmen met at Alberto's house on B Street. The story goes that while Los Extraños were rehearsing, the garage door flung open as Carmen walked up the driveway and there was the man with the mustache standing behind the keyboard. It wasn't love at first sight, but it was the beginning of their relationship. That relationship lasted 42 years and brought them two sons - one in 1982, Antonio Andres (su regasón), and the other in 1988, Juan Marcos (su favorito).

When Lauro wasn't being a musician, he was advancing in the Construction and Development trade next to his father Andres, brother Rodolfo, and friends and family (Antonio, Jose, Pepe, Lupe, Martin). With their support, they formed "R&L Construction". Lauro learned to be a Draftsman, an Architect, a Plumber, an Electrician, a Carpenter - he learned to draw a house by hand, by computer, and then run the crew to build it. He left his mark on several homes and businesses in Fillmore, Santa Paula, Piru, and Agoura Hills - from Villa Park Association to the North Fillmore Storefront, while also serving on the Fillmore Planning Commission. He loved to share his knowledge,- "I'm not going to take my knowledge with me, so why not share it" - he would say.

In 2009, Lauro became an Abuelito or "Ito", as his grandkids call him. There wasn't a visit that didn't start and end in small wrestling matches where Lauro's hat, glasses, and pens would fly off of him. Those giant calloused hands of his would become soft paws for his grandkids - "mis chusmillas", as he would refer to them.

Lauro was a son to Andres† and Josefina, a brother to Esther† and Rodolfo, a husband to Maria Del Carmen, a son-in-law to Maria† and Antonio, a father to Antonio Andres and Juan Marcos, an uncle to Adriana, Jose, and Javier, a great uncle to Isaac and David, a father-in-law to Lorena and Tanya, and a grandfather to Jared, Andrea, Tatiana, and Baby Elora (on the way).

Lauro was a dreamer, a son, a brother, a husband, an uncle, a father, a grandfather, a friend to many, a field worker, a seed of Lemon Way, a mechanic, a musician, an Extraño, an architect, a builder, a doer of everything - a dreamer until his very last day. He was, he is, and he will always be, everything.