
LA JOLLA — Memorial plans have been set for La Jolla High School assistant football coach Luis Moya, 35, who was found dead Friday, Oct. 29, in his Golden Hills home. Head coach Rey Hernandez said Wednesday that a wake has been set for Friday, Nov. 12, from 6 to 10 p.m. at Funeraria Aztlan Mortuary Services, located at 7856 La Mesa Blvd. The following day at 11 a.m., there will be a Mass at Our Lady of Angels, located at 656 24th St., and a memorial service will follow the Nov. 6 Mass at San Diego Brewing Company, located at 10450 Friars Road, where Moya worked as a manager. Moya, a 1994 graduate of LJHS, dedicated much of his life to coaching the freshman team for 14 years. Moya had diabetes, and Hernandez said Moya experienced an episode of low blood sugar one day at practice the week before his death, but the cause of death is still unknown. Hernandez said Moya coached the LJHS freshman team on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 28) at Serra, and then went to his job at San Diego Brewing Company. Hernandez got a call the next day informing him of Moya’s death. He said it wasn’t easy letting the kids know Moya wouldn’t be at their Oct. 29 game against Serra — which The Vikings won 28-21 — but the players handled the situation well. Hernandez broke the news to them on the bus heading to the game. “We discussed whether we should go forward with the game and we decided that Luis would have wanted us to play the game,” said Hernandez, who teaches at Muirlands Middle School, where Moya attended years ago. “They played an inspired game, some added motivation for them.” When the students came back to school Monday, they dedicated their practice to Moya and school counselors and support groups were present for anyone who needed it. Hernandez said the players discussed their goals for the rest of the year, and said they will work toward those goals in Moya’s honor. At San Diego Brewing Company, general manager Karen Bernauer said it will be difficult to fill the void left by Moya. He has worked there on and off since he started as a dishwasher at age 15. Moya served in the Marines and also worked many years at Callahan’s Pub & Brewery, located 8111 Mira Mesa Blvd. Both at Callahan’s and at San Diego Brewing Company, Moya had a loyal following of regulars and friends, Bernauer said. She said Moya was “part of the family” and had a “larger than life personality.” Better known at the pub as “Lou,” Bernauer said Moya “loved his friends and loved his sports.” “He really gave back to the community — coaching was something he did for free,” she said. She also said that he was like a father his young nephew, Sammy, whose father died about five years ago in a traffic accident. “He was just one of those guys who touched a lot of people,” she said. “One who always had a smile on his face, who people were always happy to see.” Leah Moya, wife of his brother, Ismael, said Moya took an active role with the six kids his mom adopted, whether that meant taking the oldest one to La Jolla football games or helping one of the girls with her homework. “Ismael and I had a daughter, Cadence, seven months ago and Luis loved her dearly,” said Leah Moya. “He always asked me if she could have french fries with ketchup — He couldn’t wait to feed her those.”