Ramon Rocha Aguilar passed through the gates of heaven in the early morning hours of May 11, 2026. Ramon was born September 1, 1923, to Maria Rocha and Tomas Aguilar in a small house on Brooks Street in La Loma barrio located within the Chavez Ravine community (future home of the Los Angeles Dodgers) of Los Angeles California. This was one of the reasons he was a lifelong L.A. Dodger fan. As a toddler, his family moved to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, due to the illness and subsequent death of his father Tomas. He thus spent his formative years in Juarez with his mother Maria and siblings Luz, Emanuela, Guadalupe, and Rosalio.

At the age of 19 (with the desire to seek a better life) Ramon returned to California. In 1942, while working as a farm worker in Northern California he was drafted into the United States Army during WW II. After boot camp at Camp Roberts, California, he was deployed by ship to the Pacific Theater where he spent over 30 months overseas. He was an anti-tank gunner in the 25th Division, 35th Regiment of the Sixth Army and fought in the Vella Lavella and Luzon campaigns, which took place in the mid 1940s. To the date of his passing, Ramon was defined by and proud of his service defending democracy during this time of worldwide conflict.

After the end of the war and his discharge from active duty, Ramon returned to California where he met the love of his life Julia Garcia in Redlands. They married on April 23, 1950, and settled in Ontario California where they raised their five children. Ramon was also able to fulfill a promise he once made to his mother Maria (also known as Mariquita), that he would take care of her and bring her to live with his family. She was a treasured member of the family until her passing in 1982. He and Julia created a loving and supportive home. Ramon supported his family as a cement mason and was a member and strong supporter of the Cement Mason’s (Local 500)) and Laborer’s (Local 783) Unions. He was an avid golfer who taught himself to play in his 50s. He played until his late 80s and dreamt of being on the course until his last hours with us.

Ramon instilled in his children the love and devotion of God, La Virgin de Guadlupe, and family. He was also proud of his Mexican heritage and taught his children to be bicultural and bilingual by word and example. Due to the economic hardships of growing up in a single parent household during the Great Depression, he was forced to forgo his own dreams of getting an education to work aa a young boy. He always strongly encouraged each of his children to reach for their dreams and be the best they could be, no matter what task or job they undertook. His desire was for each of his children to have a good profession and thus a better life. All have achieved professional accomplishments. His legacy is established by those achievements and the love binding his family together.

He is survived by his loving and devoted wife Julia, and children Viviana, Ray, Jeanne, Edmundo and Tomas, his daughters-in-law Nancy, Sophia and Yolanda, his grandchildren and their respective spouses, Joe (and Kate), Steven, Bianca (and Andy), Alejandro, Jessica (and Josh) Daniel, Samantha, and Mona, his great grandchildren, Ella Rose, Olivia Reese, Mia Rae and Carlo and family of in-laws, nieces and nephews, godchildren and friends who loved him. Ramon’s love, lessons and strength will live on in all of us.