Deacon Ricardo Flores Lemus

Deacon Ricardo Flores Lemus died Saturday, August 21, 2021.

Ricardo Flores Lemus was born in Mexico City in 1942 to Roberto Flores and Esperanza Lemus, the second of 13 children. When he was 15, his father Roberto died, forcing him to give up school and work full-time to provide for his mother and younger siblings. Ricardo and his wife Lidia, whom he met when he was 14, were married in Mexico in 1963. They were blessed with four children; Ricardo (Phyllis), Beatriz (Michael RIP), Elizabeth (George) and Arturo. Eventually, the family moved to Los Angeles.

In the early 90s, Ricardo felt the call of the Holy Spirit to serve God more fully. In 2000, he was ordained a Deacon and assigned to St. Gerard Majella Church, where he served faithfully for many years. He loved being a deacon, and his favorite ministry was baptizing children, especially at La Placita, where he would often baptize as many as 150 children in a day! He was a devoted son, husband, father, grandfather, but most importantly, he was a man of God.

Ricardo is survived by Lidia, his wife of 58 years, his four children, Ricardo, Beatriz, Elizabeth and Arturo, 10 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren, all of whom he met and loved.