REMEMBERING JERRY TOURNAMENT HONORS AVID GOLFER KILLED IN ACCIDENT.Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer Jerry Delgado was tied by more than marriage to Rob Berlinger. An avid golfer, Delgado was great friends with his father-in-law, whom he'd finally convinced to join him on the links. They got together a few times at the driving range, but they never got the chance to play a full round together. Delgado, 27, was killed 16 months ago in a car accident. It devastated dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. his wife, Correna, and infant daughter, Isabella. It was tough for his parents, siblings siblings npl (formal) → frères et sœurs mpl (de mêmes parents) and in-laws. And on his students at Golden Poppy golden poppy of California. [Flower Symbolism: Golenpaul, 627] See : Flower, State Elementary School elementary school: see school. in Palmdale, where he taught sixth grade. Through golf, Delgado's memory will last. Jerry's brother, Miguel Delgado, last year organized the Jerry Delgado Memorial Golf Tournament, with proceeds designated for Isabella's college fund. The event will be played for the second time Monday at Robinson Ranch Golf Club in Canyon Country. ``I was always thinking about what I could do, especially for his daughter,'' Miguel Delgado said. ``As I do it every year, it's not so much to raise money. The reason to keep it going every year as she's growing up is so she can help me get stuff together. We'll keep his memory alive. She'll always remember him.'' Isabella, now 3, has her own set of plastic golf clubs. And Miguel's son, Michael, just 3 1/2, also plays. On Monday, Correna Delgado will play, and so will her dad. Berlinger claims he was the worst golfer in the inaugural tournament, but he's taken lessons the past 10 months and is playing two or three times a week. He received Jerry's clubs from Correna - and seemingly his love for the game. ``I'm addicted ad·dict·ed adj. 1. Physiologically or psychologically dependent on a habit-forming substance. 2. Compulsively or habitually involved in a practice or behavior, such as gambling. ,'' said Berlinger, a Palmdale School District The Palmdale School District is a school district that serves a major part of the city of Palmdale, California (USA). The Palmdale School District was first formed in 1888. Approximately 28,000 students are enrolled in the Palmdale School District. administrator. ``Because I'm a terrible golfer, I think of him a lot. I cuss at him while I'm playing. I ask why he got me involved in this stupid game.'' Golden Poppy Elementary moved into a new building last fall. In April, a sycamore sycamore: see plane tree. sycamore Any of several distinct trees called by the same name though in different genera and families. In the U.S. the term refers to the American plane tree or buttonwood (Platanus occidentalis), a hardy street tree. tree was planted in his memory. ``That was such a great honor,'' Miguel Delgado said. ``Everyone was there. My dad was so overwhelmed o·ver·whelm tr.v. o·ver·whelmed, o·ver·whelm·ing, o·ver·whelms 1. To surge over and submerge; engulf: waves overwhelming the rocky shoreline. 2. a. . ... Some of the kids talked about how they really liked Jerry and how he always played with them.'' Correna, 28, a special-education teacher, recently moved from Lancaster to Oxnard, closer to her parents. She'll take a year off from teaching to take care of Isabella. ``It's a definitely been a change, but I have lots of help,'' Correna said. ``She's a funny girl. She's a good girl. She's a daily reminder of Jerry. I have a piece of him with me here. She's definitely got his stubbornness. She's definitely going to be athletic, too. She definitely has a love of sports. Right now, she wants to be a golfer.'' Jerry and Correna, who would have celebrated their fifth anniversary in July, met at San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden State, where he played baseball and she played softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' . They shared their love of sports with their their students, whom they took to Dodgers games - he was a diehard fan and was returning home from a game the night he was killed. Sports was a way he kept his students interested in their studies. ``They connected with the fact that he used sports in teaching,'' said Dawn Conry, Golden Poppy's principal. ``He was always on the field playing with the kids on their recess and during his lunch. He was pretty quiet around other teachers. He was more of a shy person around adults, but he was really great with kids.'' Golden Poppy has created a trust fund for Isabella, and Miguel Delgado can't wait until she is old enough to help him organize the tournament. His goal is to hold the event in Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. or Mexico, so the Delgados, Berlingers and friends can get away for the weekend. He'd also like to get his father, 63-year-old Miguel Sr., to play - but he's still working on that. And the family still is working on life without Jerry. ``We have so much support from family and friends,'' Correna said. ``In the beginning, it was just basically day-to-day. It definitely gets easier over time, but it's definitely something that will always be there. We'll never forget him.'' Jill Painter, (818) 713-3615 jill.painter(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1 -- color) Correna Delgado and her 3-year-old daughter, Isabella, prepare for Monday's Jerry Delgado Memorial Golf Tournament. (2) A photo of Jerry Delgado, a former San Francisco State baseball player who was killed last year in a car accident. Michael Owen
Box: JERRY DELGADO MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT |
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