Connecting Santa Cruz County
Stay connected, Stay informed with Border Eco Magazine
Get the latest community echoes!
August Community Echoes
Discover the people, events, and organizations that echo in Santa Cruz County in our latest issue!
National Immunization Month Awareness
National Immunization Month Awareness
National Immunization Month Awareness
National Immunization Month Awareness
National Immunization Month Awareness
National Immunization Month Awareness
August Issue
Creating Echoes Across Santa Cruz County
Border Eco Continues to Connect Santa Cruz County
We're grateful for the unwavering support from our loyal readers, valued sponsors and dedicated supporters. Your partnership enables us to showcase the inspiring individuals, vibrant events and community-driven organizations that make our border town truly special.
As we marked this past year a milestone decade, we're reminded of the countless remarkable stories we've shared with our community. Thank you for trusting us to highlight the heart of Santa Cruz County.
August Echoes 2025
Check out the latest issue!
Read the latest issue with people, events, and organizations creating echoes across Santa Cruz County.
Echoes: A Tribute to Ramiro F. Molina Jr.
Laughter, Love & Legacy: A Tribute to Ramiro 'Ramirito' Molina Jr.
Ramiro F. Molina Jr. known affectionately as "Ram," "Ramirito," or simply "Pa" lived life with a mischievous grin, a toolbox in hand, and a heart so big it could turn strangers into lifelong friends. When he passed away on June 12, 2025, at 55, he left behind a community that still hears his contagious laugh in the rustle of wind chimes and the stories shared over repurposed jars of sweet tea.
The Man Who Made Every Moment Shine
Ramiro’s daughters Cristina, Rebecca, and Camilla remember their father as a "professional fun-maker." Whether he was pretending to lose fingers to make them giggle, dancing with them atop his shoes ("Look, Pa’s my big guy!"), or spinning tall tales about teaching Michael Jackson to moonwalk, his joy was infectious. "He didn’t have a mean bone in his body," says Camilla. "Even when wronged, he’d respond with firm kindness, never cruelty."
His wife, Patricia, fell for that charm in high school when he slipped her bubble gum with love notes. On their first date, he declared, "I’m going to marry you." She laughed but 39 years together (29 married) proved him right. "He made everyone feel like they’d known him forever," she says.
Lessons in Coffee, Car Rides & Second Chances
Ramiro’s love language was action. Mornings began with him kneeling beside his daughters’ beds, spoon-feeding them tiny cups of coffee ("mostly milk and sugar") to ease them into the day a ritual he extended to their boyfriends in adulthood. He turned chores into adventures: "Kiko the Hair Stylist" styled bedhead before school; late-night drives for fries became "truck swaying" lessons in his manual-transmission Ford.
A master of repurposing, he taught his family to see potential in everything: old jeans became purses, jars became tool organizers, and a failed fishing trip in Sedona ("We used a stick and string!") became a legendary story. "He believed every problem had a solution," says Rebecca. "Even if it involved duct tape and creativity."
Community Roots & Produce Aisles
Ramiro’s 30-year career in the produce industry began humbly scrubbing toilets at TA-DE Distributing, but his work ethic and charisma made him a legend. Colleagues from California to Cleveland still swap stories about "the best inspector Dave Westendorf Produce ever had." Beyond work, he volunteered with Girl Scouts, supported the Nogales Women’s Club, and cheered Patricia’s community projects. "Wherever we went, someone stopped us to say, ‘You’re Ramirito’s family!’" laughs Cristina.
The Uno King & His Lasting Light
Family game nights revealed Ramiro’s playful stubbornness. "He never grasped Uno rules," Cristina recalls. "He’d slam down a +4 card, then pout when we corrected him but that was the only time he ever got annoyed." His resilience shone brighter in tough times. When car troubles arose, he’d soothe tears with, "What matters is you’re safe. Now let’s fix it."
A Legacy of Love
Ramiro’s pride was his family: Patricia, his "best friend"; his daughters’ accomplishments; and his vintage 1978 Ford F150 and 1951 Willy’s Jeep (which he dreamed of restoring). Today, cardinal sightings and mysterious wind chimes remind them he’s near. "He’d say, ‘Don’t cry, everything will be okay,’" whispers Patricia. "And it is, because he loved us enough to last lifetimes."
Ramiro Molina's legacy isn't just about the stories he shared or the objects he saved; it's about the way he taught others to live in joy every day. As his family says: "We can do anything because he loved us." And that, Ramirito would agree, is the greatest repurposing project of all.
A Final Farewell, But Never Goodbye
As family and friends gathered to honor Ramiro on June 20, they’ll carry forward his lessons: to laugh often, to fix rather than discard, and to love fiercely. Patricia finds comfort in the signs he leaves behind, a cardinal’s visit, a wind chime’s melody. “He’d tell us, ‘Don’t cry. Everything will be okay.’ And it will be,” she says. “Because he loved us enough to last a lifetime.”
In a world that often feels heavy, Ramiro F. Molina Jr. reminded us to lighten up. His story doesn’t end here it lives on in every shared joke, every repurposed treasure, and every heart he warmed. As his daughters say, “We can do anything because he loved us.” And that, perhaps, is his greatest gift of all.
“Ya no llores, todo va estar bien.” (Don’t cry, everything will be okay.) — Ramiro’s enduring wisdom.
Stay Connected with Santa Cruz County!
Sign up for our monthly updates to stay informed about the latest news, events, and initiatives in our vibrant community!
Follow us on social media:
YouTube: @BorderEco
X (formerly Twitter): contacteco
Facebook: borderecho
Instagram: borderechoes
Join the conversation and let's stay connected!
#SantaCruzCounty #StayConnected #CommunityFirst#Community Echoes
#BorderEco
Santa Cruz County Calendar of Events & Resources
Recent Issues
Download recent issues!
2025 Calendar
A copy of our yearly calendar can be downloaded or simply scan the QR code.
This is our way of saying thanks! We look forward to creating more memories in 2025!
Photo Gallery
Santa Cruz County Echoes
Latest Echoes
Connecting our community
Community Interests
We bring you the latest information on the events, people and organizations that make our community special.
We keep you up to date on the latest stories with compelling photos and direct quotes from sources that make our border community unique.
Community Interests
Connecting our community
Community Interests
We focus on the local news that matters to our community.
You can read about matters that are closer to home. And let us know of any local issues, events or people you think we should cover.
Connecting our community
Connecting our community
Connecting our community
We continue to bring you the stories you need and love to read.
Our goal is to change the way people see our border town.
Subscribe
Sign up to get each issue delivered straight to your inbox.
Contact Us
What are you thinking about?
Have a story or idea for us? Would you like to write for us?
Send us a message and let us know what you are thinking about.
Border Eco Magazine
1071 N.Grand Ave. Ste 122 Nogales, Arizona 85621
Phone: (520)216-5058 Email: contact@bordereco.com
Border Eco Magazine
Border Eco LLC,. 1071 N. Grand Ave. Ste. #122 Nogales, AZ 85621 US
.png/:/cr=t:0%25,l:0%25,w:81.43%25,h:100%25/rs=w:851,h:387,cg:true)
Follow us on Facebook Twitter, Instagram & YouTube
Follow us on Facebook, YouTube & Instagram for the latest community echoes!
Check out our latest issue!
Special Primary Election, A Life of Love, and Laughter: A Tribute to Ramiro F. Molina Jr.,
Summer Camps 2025-Empowering Futures: Santa Cruz County Summer Program Delivers Excellence to Over 700 Students, Making Connections 4U/NUSD
Jump Back 2 School 2025, Rio Rico Insights-Blitz Supports Our Kids, Let’s Talk Health-Summer Youth Institute, Sheriff’s Round-Up