Joe Puerto

Joe Puerto was born on March 29, 1921 at Los Angeles County General Hospital to Demesio and Maria Puerto. He was one of ten children, growing up alongside eight sisters and one brother. From an early age, he learned the value of family, hard work, and humility. He graduated from Garfield High School in 1940, a milestone he held close to his heart for the rest of his life.
After high school, he went on to trade school and became a trusted foreman. In 1954, he bought property in Yorba Linda, a place he would call home for the rest of his life.
His journey wasn't always easy, and he worked hard for everything he had. At just eight years old, during the Great Depression, he took his first job shining shoes. In high school, he worked as a golf caddy, carrying two bags for 18 holes at 75 cents apiece. He would then hand every cent to his mother. That spirit of giving stayed with him his whole life.
As a Mexican-American, he faced many challenges and unfair treatment. Some people judged him before even knowing him. One trade school instructor once told him, "Mexicans don't want to work," and turned him away. But he didn't let that stop him. He came back when there were more openings and was finally accepted. By the end, his teachers admitted they were wrong, telling him, "We remember the good students and the bad ones. You were one of the best."
Even in his later years, he defied age. Well into his 100s, he still had a driver's license, took care of his acre of land, and could remember every detail of his life like it happened yesterday. It wasn't until recently that he began to say, "I'm starting to get old."
When asked the secret to living a long life, he'd smile and say, "I treat people the way I want to be treated. I never took advantage of anyone. I believe in God. And I had a wife of 58 years who made me good food"-always with dessert, a tradition he proudly continued.
He leaves behind 3 children, 7 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, 12 great-great-grandchildren, and two great-great-great-grandchildren. Each of them carries a piece of his love, his strength, and his deep kindness.
He was a good man. A quiet man. A steady hand in our family. And though 104 years still doesn't feel like enough, we are forever grateful for the life he lived and the love he gave.