JOE G. ANGUIANO, a “Philanthropist of Service,” was a man dedicated to his family and community. His life journey began on April 5, 1931, in La Junta, Colorado to Jose Anguiano, Sr. and Rosario Gonzales Anguiano. He passed peacefully on March 20, 2024, in Ventura, CA at the age of 92.
Jose Sr. worked on the railroad in Colorado and the family eventually relocated to Saticoy, CA where Joe Jr. attended and played football for Ventura High School. Joe served in the US Army where he received an honorable discharge. He met and married the love of his life Rachel Viramontes in 1956 and together they settled in Saticoy, CA. Joe and Rachel later moved to Ventura, CA and raised 3 children Alex, Jody (Jr.) and Kris.
Joe was drawn to a path of helping others and serving the community where he lived and raised his family. Early in his career a 36-year-old Joe Anguiano, opened a satellite office of the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation, funded by the Department of Labor, in La Colonia, Oxnard’s barrio community. He collaborated with corporations to provide jobs for low-income laborers by offering to split the cost of training. Joe later transitioned to a job in Northrop’s personnel department.
Joe became an active member of the community and received many acknowledgements and awards for his community service. He worked to improve education programs for public schools and was commended by the Ventura Unified School District Board of Education and Ventura County Neighborhood Youth Corps. A highlight of his service commitment was receiving the Ventura County PTA Honorary Life Membership given for his outstanding service as a PTA President for Our Lady of the Assumption School. He was chosen out of 24 public schools in Ventura County. Joe’s children did not attend public schools, but he was committed to enhancing education opportunities for the community.
Our father Joe was always a faithful servant of God and was a member of the Knights of Columbus, earning the honor of Third Degree.
In 1975, Joe and Rachel left their respective careers and assumed ownership of the family grocery store, La Palma Market, started by his mother Rosario in Saticoy, CA. Joe’s children all worked at the family grocery store, and they learned a strong work ethic from their father. Joe’s legacy was that no one in the community went hungry. He often extended credit to customers with just a signature and had a cigar box of unpaid receipts. In 2004, Joe received an Outstanding Service Award from the Ventura County Catholic Charities as the founder and organizer of San Jose El Trabajador Food Pantry serving Saticoy and Cabrillo Village.
Joe loved sports, especially football and baseball. He often took the family to Dodger Stadium and later purchased season tickets. He shared his love of football with his sons and attended 2 Super Bowls with his eldest son, Alex.
Joe is survived by his wife of 67 years, Rachel Anguiano; son Alex Anguiano of Encino; daughter Jody DeLeone of Riverside; son Kris Anguiano of Pasadena; granddaughter Dr. Mariza Snyder (Alex); granddaughter Cynthia Snyder; granddaughter Vanessa Anguiano; and great-grandson Kingston Dunks.
The Anguiano family would like to express their deep appreciation for the loving care their father received at the Rowe House.
Family and friends are invited to visiting hours to be held on Wednesday evening April 17, 2024 at the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, 757 E. Main Street Ventura, where a Most Holy Rosary will be recited at 7pm. A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00am Thursday April 18, 2024 in Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, 10800 Henderson Road Ventura. Interment will then immediately follow in Pierce Brothers Santa Paula Cemetery, Cemetery Road Santa Paula.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation in Joe Anguiano’s honor to Sacred Heart Church, Food Pantry at Cabrillo Village c/o 10800 Henderson Rd., Ventura, CA 93003
“Whatsoever you do for one of the least of these, My brethren, you do for Me.”