Ronald Joseph Talamantez

1938 - 2021

SAN DIEGO — Ronald Joseph Talamantez, an influencer, community leader, coach, aerospace engineer, son, brother, husband, father, and friend to many died January 31, 2021, at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, CA. He was surrounded by his sister, niece, sons, daughter, and son-in-law. He was 82.

Born July 18, 1938, in San Diego, California, to Sue Almanza Talamantez and Joseph Nevarez Talamantez, Ron grew up in Logan Heights, now called Barrio Logan, along with his siblings Roger, Roy, and Josephine. He loved the Heights and always reminded others where his roots generated from. He began his career working as a draftsman at Convair in San Diego.

In 1964, Ron was 25 with a beautiful wife and five children. He moved the family from San Diego to Orange County for a new job at Mcdonnell Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach. As his career moved up at Mcdonnell Douglas Aircraft, he became a project design engineer, supervising engineer, manufacturing engineer, and an engineering manager.

In 1964 he bought his first home in the Westmont track in Fountain Valley and remained there for the rest of his life. As a young man in Fountain Valley, Ron was active in the formation of several non-profit organizations in the early ‘60s and ‘70s, such as the Boys Club,

Little League, Fountain Valley Jaycees, and Little Miss Softball. As Jaycee I Senator and Jaycee President, Ron was instrumental in organizing the first swap meet at Fountain Valley Drive-in, fundraisers that raised money for the Boys Club’s new facility at Fountain Valley Recreation Center. With the FV Jaycees, he organized large 18-wheeler containers to be filled with donated bicycles, toys, clothing, furniture, washers, dryers, etc. Then, he drove these container trucks down to orphanages in Mexicali and Tecate, Mexico.

Ron was very athletic and played in a men’s AAA fast-pitch softball league throughout the ‘70s, and also played in men’s basketball leagues. In his younger years, he liked to box and sparred with future professional boxers in San Diego. He was a coach in Little League baseball and Little Miss Softball, teaching young kids how to play baseball and softball, how to be a leader for the team, team building, and to work together. Sometimes he

would be there for kids driving them to and from the practices and games when parents were not available to do it.

Ron had a strong presence about him, and as he walked into a room, people would gravitate towards him to be around his infectious boisterous laugh. Since he was a young kid, he had a photographic memory and was highly intelligent.

He would recite softball games and times up at the bat with the count, men on base, and where the fielders were standing when he would come up to the plate and blast that softball to the fences.

As an engineering manager, he was very direct, told it like it was, and trained many young aerospace engineers. He had top-secret clearance and worked on high-profile projects such as B-2 Stealth Bomber, missiles during the Cuban Missile Crisis, tanks, DC-10, MD-80, YC-15 aircraft.

In 1964 he was a member of Saint Barbara’s Catholic Church and as Fountain Valley grew in population, a new parish was established called Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Initially, while the church was being built, we had our services at Fountain Valley High School cafeteria. Our family remains members to this day.

In Ron’s last couple of years, he had health issues and was stationed at Newport Subacute Hospital. Unfortunately he passed away from

COVID-19.

His memory will be cherished and kept alive by his siblings Roger and Josephine Talamantez, children Louis Talamantez, Vincent Talamantez, Regina Stevens (Troy), and Damian Talamantez. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Sylvia Talamantez, Ronald Talamantez Jr., brother Roy, his parents Joseph and Sue Talamantez.

On Feb. 22, a rosary and viewing will be held from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm at Aztlan Mortuary at 7856 La Mesa Blvd, La Mesa, CA. (15-20 people at a time).

On Feb. 23, at 10:00 am, there will be a mass held at Our Lady of Guadalupe in San Diego (40 people max) at 1770 Kearney Avenue San Diego, CA, followed by burial at Holy Cross Cemetery (25 people, with an additional 25 people further away at a distance) 4470 Hilltop Drive San Diego, CA.

There will be a memorial service in Fountain Valley at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Feb. 25, at 1:00 pm. 17270 Ward Street, Fountain Valley, CA 92708.

Celebration of Life reception will be postponed until it becomes more suitable for gatherings. If you would like to send flowers, please send them to the Aztlan Mortuary on Monday, Feb. 22, between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm. 7856 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa CA 91942.

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