Gilbert Ernest “Mo” Sosa, Jr., 78, of Fillmore went on to be with God on September 30, 2017 surrounded by his family and loved ones.
A memorial service will be held at St. Francis of Assisi in Fillmore on Friday, October 6 at 10:00 a.m. The memorial service will be preceded by the rosary at 9:30 a.m. Memorials may be made to the Relay for Life of Fillmore-Piru.
Mo was born on January 7, 1939 in Ventura. His is survived by his wife, Betty. They married December 1, 1962 in Fillmore. They have four children, Ray (Leticia) Sosa, Steve (Valerie) Sosa, Leonard (Claudia) Sosa, and Art (Adela) Sosa. They have six grandchildren, Celeste, Kyle, Kendall, Tyler, Jacob, and Daniel.
Mo was preceded in death by his parents, Gilbert Sr., and Alice. He has a sister, Becky (Sosa) Morales, who is living.
Mo was retired from Fillmore Unified School District where he held a number of positions, including bus driver and maintenance. Prior to his work with the school district he was employed by General Motors in Van Nuys.
He grew up on Rancho Sespe where he formed lifelong friendships. He went to local schools and he played many sports. He was particularly talented at basketball where he earned the nickname “Big Mo” by his head coach. The American battleship, USS Missouri, also known as “Big Mo” was the last American battleship ever built and the last to be decommissioned and now rests in Pearl Harbor.
Mo was a Fillmore High School alumni and was well respected at the school and in the community. He was elected Homecoming Grand Marshall in 1988 and in 2014 he received the Charles A. Mozeley award through the Fillmore High School Hall of Fame. He and Betty, the love of his life, were nearly inseparable. They enjoyed spending time with the entire family, following their grandchildrens’ activities, and watching the beloved Dodgers.
Our Dad was our role model. He always carried himself with class and humility. He was a good person – devoted husband, great father and grandfather. He will be missed.