Jeronimo M. Salgado passed away on February 10, 2019 at the age of 88 in Santa Barbara, California. He was the son of Miguel Salgado and Magdalena Mejia of Los Nogales, Michoacán Mexico. He had a remarkable life.
He left home at age 13 to escape punishing poverty and decided early on to forge his own path. He stowed away on top of trains, walked and hitchhiked until he arrived in the United States in search of work and a better life. He worked harvesting a variety of crops and later joined the Bracero program, through which he was able to become a U.S. Resident, and later a proud Citizen of his adopted country.
Don Jeronimo, as he was often called, was a business man, landlord and a devout family man. He worked as a gardener for much of his life, and was self-taught in property management and all facets of home repair. He enjoyed working with his hands, being outdoors and hunting.
He continued hunting into his 80s. He also enjoyed world travel with his family. He visited much of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, the Middle East and Asia.
He was tenacious, industrious and creative, often spotting opportunity where others did not. Despite his limited educational attainment and English language proficiency, he ensured that his daughters had access to a private Catholic School education and higher education. Despite having worked in areas where he was sometimes treated unfairly, he was very generous, willing to give family and friends work and to share his knowledge so that they too, could get a toe-hold on the American dream.
He was a person who embodied the idea of reaching back and helping someone else along, whenever he could. He was a man of faith who expressed gratitude for the blessings of his family and his home in his adopted country. He offered sage wisdom to anyone who would listen, as he espoused the virtues of frugality, owning property and maintaining a positive attitude.
He would often say, “Hay que hechar para adelante,” which means that it is essential to keep moving forward with an eye toward the future. He also liked to say, “hay que hecharle ganas,” which means that hard work is essential. He enjoyed sharing his life story and encouraging others to “vivir alegre,” to live happy.
He liked to eat good food, share anecdotes and indulge in a good laugh. He will be remembered for his storytelling, his wisdom and advice. Toward the end of his life, as his health declined, he continued to demonstrate a positive attitude and looked forward to a time when his health would improve and he could get back to the activities that he enjoyed.
He is survived by the love of his life, Raquel Verduzco de Salgado, his wife of 59 years and three daughters Isabel Salgado, Yolanda Salgado-Tovar (Alex Tovar) and Connie Salgado-Sanchez (Victor Sanchez). He is also survived by five grandchildren Crystabelle Lopez (Nic Shupe), Julie Lopez, Alejandrito Tovar, Katie Tovar, Julian Sanchez and great-granddaughter Penelope Shupe. He is also survived by two brothers, many nieces, nephews and friends whose lives he touched.
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