ALWAYS A FRIEND READY TO HELP ROBERT BACA, 56, RECALLED AS A MAN WHO LIKED TO BE ON THE GO.Byline: Holly Andres Staff Writer VAN NUYS - Robert Baca was the neighbor and friend who would help you when your car broke down or you needed help with a move. Baca, a longtime resident of the East San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. , died Aug. 5 in Van Nuys. He was 56. ``He was always helping someone. He always kept himself busy. He wasn't one to sit down and watch TV,'' said his daughter, Salina Salina (səlī`nə), city (1990 pop. 42,303), seat of Saline co., central Kans., on the Smoky Hill River; founded 1858 by settlers opposed to slavery, inc. 1870. . ``It wasn't like him to sit back and wait. He was always on the go.'' Baca was a truck driver for Atomic Disposal, later Crown Disposal, for 25 years. He dropped out of school after junior high to help his family with finances. He met his future wife, Patricia Young, when they were in their teens, and married when he was 18. She died in 1997. ``His whole world went haywire after my mom passed away,'' Salina Baca said. ``They met when she was 13 and he was 15. His one regret, he told me, was that he wished he could have taken her on a cruise.'' Robert Baca was born on Aug. 24, 1947, in Albuquerque, N.M., and moved with his family to Pacoima when he was 4. His younger sister, Sofia Marquez, recalled that as a child, Baca liked to build miniature model cars. He was a good dancer and enjoyed ``oldies Oldies is a generic term commonly used to describe a radio format that usually concentrates on Top 40 music from the '50s, '60s and '70s. Oldies are typically from R&B, pop and rock music genres. but goodies and all kinds of Mexican music.'' Christmas, with the tradition of feasting on tamales, was his favorite holiday. ``He knew how to cook. My mother taught them all (three sons) to cook and to sew sew v. sewed, sewn or sewed, sew·ing, sews v.tr. 1. To make, repair, or fasten by stitching, as with a needle and thread or a sewing machine: . She said, 'You might get a lazy wife so you need to learn how to do this,''' Marquez said. ``I know he learned how to make rice, beans and tacos. He liked to get into the kitchen.'' Baca is survived by sons Robert Ray Robert Ray may refer to:
A funeral was held at Rucker Mortuary mor·tu·ar·y n. A place, especially a funeral home, where dead bodies are kept before burial or cremation. in Pacoima on Saturday. His ashes, and those of his wife, Patricia, will be scattered together at sea. Holly Andres, (818) 713-3708 holly.andres(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: BACA |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion