JOHN DELGADO
June 14, 1940 – June 6, 2022
John Delgado, born June 14, 1940, passed away on June 6, 2022. After years of severe health problems John passed in his own bed in the house he was raised. This was how he chose to finish his journey.
John was one of five surviving children born to Aurelia and Manuel Delgado. Aurelia and Manuel immigrated from Chihuahua Mexico to Bakersfield, California where they raised John, Linda, Mary, Tom and Emilio in the East Bakersfield neighborhood known as La Loma.
As a child and a teenager John worked with his family in the fields and orchards of the San Joaquin Valley, including living in camp housing at the Tagus Ranch as well as many other ranches and farms. The Tagus Ranch, including the working and living conditions and violent labor strikes were inspiration for key parts of the John Steinbeck novels Grapes of Wrath and In Dubious Battle.
He attended East High and became a plumber/pipefitter in Local 460 for over 30 years, including building the Administrative Offices and Civic Center buildings on Truxtun Avenue.
John was a community activist as an early member of the Community Service Organization and the Kern Democratic Party. John worked with Fred Ross, Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. He was instrumental in improving living conditions in La Loma including street lighting and sewage. He helped reverse abusive mortgage practices and redlining. He, and two of his friends, personally funded two large bus loads of kids from the Loma to Magic Mountain when it first opened.
John married his high school sweetheart, Sylvia Reyes. They had two children Karen and Craig. John and Sylvia divorced, yet they remained close friends throughout their lives. Being the kind of man he was, John helped raise a son, Eric Cox, a son of Sylvia's from a subsequent marriage. Karen has given John 2 grandchildren Carmen and Roberto, and Craig has given John granddaughter Kala and three great-grandchildren Miriam, Malayna, and Tobijah.
John was Uncle John to almost 50 children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren of Mary, Linda, Tom and Emilio. He was also a “backup Dad” and best friend to his nieces, nephews, and grandnieces and grandnephews and great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews. John was Uncle John to the Reyes family members too. John and Kenny, Sylvia's brother, remained close throughout his life. Amongst these many extended family members are Bakersfield College and University graduates, a Medical Doctor, Law School graduates, Business, Psychology, Art, History, English Literature, International Relations, Skills, and Trade persons etc. John was equally proud of his family members that did not have the opportunity to attend college but work hard and provide for their families every day.
John will be remembered as the guy who would help anyone who needed help. It seemed that everyone wanted to know John and to be able to claim him as a friend. He was handsome, witty, stylish, smart, and wise. If you needed a few dollars, he gave it to you. If you needed a place to live, you had it. If you needed an answer to a problem, he would help you find it. If you needed a friend, an uncle, a dad, or just someone to accept you, John was there.
In his final days John said if you want to acknowledge him, hug someone you love and help someone who needs help.
Services to be announced at a later date.