FOUNTAIN VALLEY : Families Honored for Unity, Values

For the Villalobos family, the secret to their close-knit relationship is that members have built a foundation of love for each other.

“If the parents are loving with each other and, in turn, give it to their children, it’s a strong basis for a family,” said Gloria Villalobos.

“It’s not enough to say, ‘I love you.’ You have to show them and put your arms around them. . . . It’s the strongest medicine I know.”

The Villalobos family, described by city officials as a shining example of family unity, was chosen as Fountain Valley’s Family of the Year.

“It’s wonderful; it’s cool. It says something about your family,” said Allison Villalobos, 12. “My parents brought us up so well. It’s nice for someone to recognize what a great job they did.”

The family also includes Anthony Villalobos, 52, and three other children, Christina, 22, Cynthia, 20, and Anthony, 17.

The Bob and Julie Hoxsie family was first runner-up.

Bob Hoxsie is president of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley. His wife, Julie, won a seat on the Fountain Valley School District Board of Trustees in the Nov. 3 election. They have three daughters.

Both families were given certificates of recognition by the City Council Tuesday. The council also proclaimed Thanksgiving week, from Saturday to Nov. 28, as American Family Week.

Larry Johnson, chairman of the Family of the Year committee, said 10 families were nominated for the honors.

“The idea is to promote family values,” Johnson said.

The criteria are simple. “They’re families who do things together, spend time together, have fun together and promote high standards in school and community,” he said. “We look for people who contribute to the community.”

Johnson said the Villalobos family has a sense of togetherness, community involvement and strong traditional family values.

“The remarkable thing about this family is the genuine affection the kids have about their parents,” Johnson said. “The kids are crazy about their parents and the parents are crazy about their kids.”

Gloria and Anthony Villalobos have been married 26 years and have lived in Fountain Valley for 20 years. He has worked for nearly 29 years for the same company, Norwest Financial, a nationwide lending institution with a branch in Lakewood. Gloria, 49, is director of Greenbrook Homeowners Assn.

The family has been involved in Boys and Girls Scouts, and the children are avid swimmers. The family members are active in the Catholic Church and spend time with each other and make time for one another.

The elder Anthony said the most important thing he and his wife stressed in the upbringing of their children was the importance of having values.

“We don’t smoke, we don’t drink, we go to church--our children were raised down the right path,” he said. “We pointed a direction as far as the rights and wrongs. We also stressed moral values, and we’ve tried to bring them up with integrity and honor.

“Family is important, and I’m very proud of our family,” he said.