My mother was born in Fort Hancock, Texas, on August 10, 1912, her family moved to El Paso when she was still a small child. She was a very attractive young women, and a good dancer, what especially impressed my father (who was rather dashing himself) was the fact that she was very self-confident, and didn’t fall all over herself trying to get his attention like so many other girls did.

She would tangle with anyone, much like a Mother Bear protecting her family. My mother’s main purpose and focus was her family, and she was very much a guiding force in my own life. It was through her efforts that I got into scouting . She became a Cub Scout Den Mother, just so I had the opportunity to joint the Scouts, because the other mothers in our neighborhood were unable or unwilling to watch over, educate and give guidance to a dozen small active boys.

She made several of my sisters’ special dresses and school Drum Majorette uniforms. She was an excellent housekeeper, a good cook, never made anything I didn’t like or couldn’t eat. In short, she was a great mom and she instilled in me the moral and ethical values I still adhere to today.

My father was the nominal head of our family, but it was my mother who really ran things around our home, and my dad seldom challenged her authority around the house. He almost always agreed with her on the home front, "To keep peace in the family" he would tell my sister Lydia and me, with a smile on his face.

While my dad was very easy going and trusted everyone, my mother was rather the opposite: Very few people ever managed to take advantage of her, even though she only had a Grade-School Education, as did my father. In fact, my father was so easy going and trusting, that there were times when unscrupulous people would take advantage of him, and it would make my mother furious.

When I enlisted into the Navy, a lot of people told her that her son would soon join the ranks of your basic "Sailor" stereotype, e.g. a woman in every port, smoking and drinking to excess, your general enlisted man’s debauchery. But my mother stood fast to her faith and belief that I would not participate in any behavior unbecoming of a gentleman. She would tell them, "No, no, not my Javie!" She was always so proud of me, her son, her "True-Blue Sailor Boy"as she used to refer to me when talking to other people.

In my years as a sailor, my shipmates would often tell me, "Hey, you’re on the other side of the world, your mother will never find out whatever you’ve been up to." And certainly that was true in a literal sense, but the thing is, I would know, and that mattered a lot to me. To this day, I can honestly say that I never betrayed her faith in me.

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CELDRIA GRANADOS

MY MOTHER WAS OF SPANISH ANCESTRY

10 AUGUST 1912 – 3 APRIL 1993

Frank Diaz Granados, c. 1933 - 1934

My Dad, was born in El Paso, Texas on a cold winter day, 3 December 1909. He was a very caring and devoted husband and father. He was an Ex- Navy man, he answered our countries "CALL TO ARMS" and enlisted in the US Navy in January 1944, even though he did not have to.

He served only a short time, when an old head injury (he received as a young Boxer) started acting up and affecting his hearing. He was released from Active Duty and received an "Honorable Medical Discharge from the US Navy in mid 1944.

My dad was a very athletic fellow when he was a young Buck and loved to run. He was also a "Golden Glove Boxer." He related to me how when he was a young lad (around 10 years old) he used to deliver milk (from his stepfathers Dairy) on horseback (Bareback). He was of small stature, so he would leave the milk bottles on top of the fence post.

One of his favorite pastimes, was to chase jack rabbits on horseback (Bareback). He used to call it "Jack Rabbit Polo," because he used to chase them with a Polo-Mallet. He used to tell me that it was a real challenge to hit a running Jack Rabbit on horseback with a Polo-Mallet, that is why he liked it. He became an excellent horseman. He also related how his horse did not appreciate getting smacked on his leg with a Polo-Mallet on some occasions when the rabbit would turn at the last second and dodge in front of the horse.

In his early days, he was a handsome young Buck and his peers called him "VALENTINO," after the Great Silent Film Idol, "RUDOLPH VALENTINO," because he had a strong resemblance to the famous actor and also because like the famous actor, there was always a string of attractive young women competing for his attention. He was also a very good Ballroom Dancer and knew how to dress well.

He learned all about clothing and fabrics, when he began working part time after school at Griffen Cleaners in El Paso. Even though he had little money, he knew how to dress like the Movie Stars of the era. Too bad I did not inherit his dashing good looks. He liked the Dry Cleaning Business, and even though he only had a Grade School Education, he became one of the top Dry Cleaners and Spotters in the Dry Cleaning Industry nation wide. He loved to read, and was always reading to learn beyond his limited education.

His knowledge of textiles, fabrics and spot removal techniques chemicals etc. was very impressive, and if he could not remove a spot from a garment, no one else could either. He also helped improve several spot removal systems and invented a system that gained national Industry acceptance, although he never received any credit for it. He was always trying out new techniques and inventing things and even received a US Patent on one of his inventions , but never made any money from it.

My father was very easy going, and befriended every body, including the "BUMS" on the street. That was something my dear mother never understood about my dad. He would give the shirt off his back to a complete stranger on the street, if he saw they needed it more than he did.

I recall on one occasion, he came home from work minus his jacket and when my mother asked him about it, he was a bit reluctant to say anything. My mother would not give up until he confessed and told her what had happened to his new jacket. It turned out that he had given it to a fellow on the street that was cold and down on his luck.

He was a very mellow fellow and did not get angry very easy, but when you succeeded in getting his Indian temper up, "WATCH OUT." I am very proud of my Dear old Dad, for who he was and what he made of himself. For his love, guidance and inspiration to help me become the individual I am today. I am proud of who I am and what kind of person I am, because of my parents.

Francisco ("Frank") Diaz Granados as a young man, c. 1932.

Seaman Recruit (SR) F.D. Granados, center of photo, Naval Training Center, San Diego, California, 1944.

Go back to to Chapter 2: TIINA’S LONDON EXPERIENCE, 15 AUGUST 1951 – 15 AUGUST 1953

Continue to Chapter 4: JAVIER FRANCISCO GRANADOS "JAVIE" IN THE AMERICAN DESERT SOUTHWEST