When Jose Malaquis Velasquez was born on 22 October 1917, in Saguache, Saguache, Colorado, United States, his father, Herminio Velasquez, was 32 and his mother, Louisa Gonzales, was 21. He died on 25 January 2003, in Del Norte, Rio Grande, Colorado, United States, at the age of 85, and was buried in Del Norte Cemetery, Del Norte, Rio Grande, Colorado, United States.