Gilbert Trujillo

The beloved husband of Bernice for 63 years and beloved father of his five children of Ken, Bill, Russ, Stan and Kirsten. He was born on May 16, 1930 in the small mining community of Cokedale, Colorado just a few miles west of Trinidad in southern Colorado. His parents were Ray and Minni Trujillo. His siblings were Lee, Eveyln, Ed and Sandra. His upbringing was in Trinidad, which he was proud to say up until his latter years of High School when the family came to Denver. He attended Annunciation Catholic School where he graduated from in 1949. He enlisted in the United States Army shortly after his high school graduation and was stationed at Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs. He met his soon to be bride about this time, our mother, Bernice. He reached the rank of Sergeant while in the army but it was during this time that he immersed himself into the sport of Boxing, which he learned in high school. He carried on and acquired the skill to train and coach boxers. Upon his discharge from the service Bernice and he would marry in 1953. He was immediately offered the job to coach at Annunciation High School by the exiting coach and he accepted the challenge. Bill asked him once what was it that interested him in coaching? He said, he enjoyed putting a group of young people together, teaching a discipline that would in turn instill confidence in whatever these young men wanted to do in their lives. Oh and yes, there was the competitive nature for Gilbert that he brought along. There was a run for his boxing teams in the late 50's and early 60's when they won five straight city championships. You can bet he was proud of that, but it was also the relationships that were forged among he and his boxers and fellow coaches that he never forgot. On his birthday May 16, 1960 he was hired on at the Denver U.S. Mint and continued his coaching but was now coaching at two levels to include the Golden Gloves. Many of his boxers enjoyed success at this level too under his guidance and instruction. A crowning achievement was when one of his boxers made the U.S. Olympic Boxing team, Maurice Frilo, 1964. Ken and Bill were just little kids but remember seeing dad in the Rocky Mtn News with Maurice upon announcement of this mile stone. Between working, raising 2, 3 and 4 boys; and coaching something had to give and it did, his health. His doctor recommended to give up burning the candle at both ends so, he left the sport of boxing. Shortly after he was asked to help coach the traveling boxing team, The Denver Rocks, but he realized we needed him as a dad and declined the offer, but we were so proud of the offer. He still had access to the Golden Gloves and we as young boys, Ken and Bill would accompany him to the tournaments as he would wrap the boxing hands of his former stars and upcoming boxers. He even worked the corners by request during the tournaments. We were introduced to sportswriters, met the former champion of the world, Sonny Liston at a fund raiser for Annunciation High School and even saw Denver's favorite heavyweight Ron Lyle come up through the ranks. In 2009 he was inducted into the Colorado Golden Gloves Hall of Fame. Bernice and Gilbert's daughter Kirsten was born in 1967 and she was the twinkle in his eye. He may have been out of the boxing but he still wanted to be involved with his sons and sports so, he became a coach in Thornton's Old Timers Baseball league. The competitive spirit carried him through to win two Little League baseball titles. He assisted his brother in-law Sam Gutierrez in forming Thornton's first recreational football league for youth. Guess what sometimes they had to compete against each other but they both survived those contests and remained best friends. They better have stayed best friends because Sam and his wife Rose had three sons Greg, Brad and Matt who we knew and know today as brothers. Dad liked camping and fishing with his friends from the Mint and his brother-in-law Sam. These guys were avid fishermen where they would leave late at night following a swing shift arrive at the Flat Tops, rest a bit then hike into some high lakes. Of course he taught his sons to do this too, something we are still passionate about and as years go by one realize it's not always about catching fish it's about getting up there in the Rocky Mtns. Well of course there were the Denver Broncos. Sam and Gil went to the Broncos since their inception in 1960 when the team played at the DU Field. They acquired season tickets in the mid 60's and the family still has them today. He knew all about the Broncos and enjoyed them to the very end of his life. He almost coached them too. Just last week his priority number was selected to purchase Superbowl 50 tickets and somehow he had enough strength in his voice to talk on the phone with Broncos ticket office and give permission to release those tickets to my mother and brother Stan. We could talk lots on the subject of the Broncos. He was very active in the Denver U.S. Mint's union under the AFL-CIO affiliation. He immersed himself in this organization forging friendships and solidarity too. He retired from the Mint in 1988. He did lots of lively things in his life but it was his wife Bernice who took him places. She put together trips for the two that covered much of the U.S. from Florida, Michigan, California, Missouri, Hawaii and all points in between so many to cover. What became obvious to us as family was that he truly loved and enjoyed youth. He wanted kids and people to have a fair shake at life, so he would notice their qualities in a sport and build their confidence to succeed in life. He was a disciplinarian and yes sometimes we had to tell him to turn it off. He instilled the essentials in life that included integrity, morals and faith to his children. Gil loved life and his family and he didn't want leave this earth, but he was human. He supported us and we supported him, that was the Love we had for each other. A family friend, Joseph Padilla shared, ""Slowly the pain eases away but the times to together are always right beside you."" Please share memories of Gilbert and condolences with his family by visiting the guestbook below.