Leo Cervantes

Leo Cervantes died peacefully in his home on October 31, 2025, at age of 88. He was born in the Flathead Montana Indian Reservation to Maria and Leopoldo Cervantes in 1937. Leo was a first generation Mexican American and very proud of his heritage. In his older years, he loved to speak Spanish with anyone he thought might be Mexican. He raised his children to be as proud of being Mexican as he was. He was one of six children and raised by his mother in Broderick, CA.
Leo was always a hard worker and helped his mother pick fruit in the fields as a young boy. As a young man, he worked as a journeyman carpenter and at age 22, he met his wife of 65 years, Carole Rogers. They married and moved to Oroville where they raised three children, Bob, Ken, and Cami. Often after work you could find him at the softball fields coaching his kids and their friends. He started to work for his father-in-law Mervin as a choker setter and later finished his career as a heavy equipment operator and mechanic for Operating Engineers Local 3 and retired at age 59. In his retirement years, Leo and Carole traveled extensively in their beloved motor homes, traveling throughout the United States, visiting and enjoying friends they met along their adventures. They went on fourteen cruises including ones to Alaska, Mexico and Europe, and when not traveling they could be found on the dance floor dancing to country western music. Up until the end he loved to dance, especially to the George Strait song, "The Cowboy Rides Away." Leo loved all kinds of music and passed that love on to his children. He was a life-long Niners and Giants fan, but he would watch any kind of sport, and his favorite saying was, "what's the score?" He was an active member of the Oroville Masonic Lodge, Eagles, Elks and Moose Lodges and was an avid reader and loved anything about WWII history. Even though he enjoyed traveling, his true love was his two grandsons, Robert and Andrew. Leo was as hands-on papa as one could be, whether it was building them a fort on stilts, letting them use his power tools at too young of an age or taking them on motorhome adventures across the country. If you were to ask his grandsons, they would tell you that the time spent with their Papa and Nana was some of their best memories. You might even find a picture of Leo under the definition of "a character" in the dictionary. Leo was a special man who was loved dearly and will be missed by many.
He is preceded in death by his mother, father, four siblings and son Bob. He is survived by his wife Carole, son Ken (Laurie), daughter Cami (Scott), two grandsons, Robert and Andrew, brother Ralph, and numerous nieces and nephews.
His Service will be held Friday, November 21, 2025 at 1 pm at Ramsey Funeral Home 1175 Robinson St, Oroville, CA 95965. The reception will be held immediately after at the Eagles Lodge, 2010 Montgomery St, Oroville, CA 95965.
Donations welcome in memory of Leo to The Oroville Masonic Lodge or the Oroville Eagles Aerie.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Ramsey Funeral Home 530-534-3877