Jose Wilfredo Cervantes

Jose W. Cervantes, known as Joe, was born on July 3, 1973 in Torrance, California to his parents, Wilfrido and Evangelina Cervantes. They moved to Delano in 1975 where they bought their family home, that was eventually filled with his three siblings, all girls: his sisters, Irma, Carolina, and Cecilia.

Joe’s passion for music developed at an early age. He learned to play his first instrument at the age of 8, the saxophone. He participated in the school marching band and was selected for the county’s honor band during his childhood.

In his teenage years, his passion for music continued to develop. He learned to play the keyboard and started his first band, Swass, (acronym for Sweet, Wild, and Sexy Studs) affectionately inspired by Sir-Mix-Alot’s famous 80’s rap hit. His band included his cousin, Juan, and his friends, the Flores brothers, and his uncle Pedro. They all proudly wore 80s mullets and gold chains.

Sports was also something Joe was passionate about. He played baseball in the community little league as a child. In high school, he played baseball, football, and wrestling. He participated in many local and state wrestling tournaments where he often placed in first and second. He also proudly and patiently waited every Friday night to see if any of his plays had made the week’s edition of Hometown Sports. This is also around the time he developed his obsession for the Raiders.

Joe married at the age of 19 and had his first and only son named after him. He was always bursting with pride of his son Joe and took him everywhere as a child. He passed on to him his love of the Raiders, and his love for wrestling entertainment, taking him to several World Wrestling Entertainment events, a shared passion that has now been passed on to his grandson, DeAnthony.

In addition to music and sports, as an adult, Joe became very interested in business. He spent a few years working at Wells Fargo Bank where he learned all about how to start one. He took that knowledge to start his company in Delano, Five Star Carpet & Tile, which took off and he was quickly the go-to business in town to fulfill the locals’ carpet and tile needs.

But music was always where his heart was, and after learning to play the accordion, he started his second band, Estrellas del Norte, in the early 2000’s. They professionally recorded and released three albums where he played the accordion and sang all the songs, many of which he wrote. One of those albums was recorded with ex Los Bukis Keyboard player, Roberto Guadarrama.

Joe was kind and always the first one to give a helping hand when he could, but also the last one to accept it when needed. He loved his family so much, but was not always the best at communicating it. He was far from perfect, but he had a good life, and he had a good heart.

Joe left us on December 16, 2019. We many never understand why. But we will cherish the years of memories and those last weeks when we all had the opportunity to tell him we loved him and hear him say it back. It was a difficult time, but he is now at peace.

Joe is survived by his son, Jose Wilfrido Cervantes; his grandson, DeAnthony Cervantes; his parents, Wilfrido and Evangelina Cervantes; his grandmother, Benedita Solorio; his three sisters, Irma, Carolina, and Cecilia; his three nephews, Eric, Christopher, and LuisMa, and many cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends.

Services for Joe will be held on December 26, 2019. Public viewing will be at 9:30 a.m. and the Rosary at 10:30 a.m. at Delano Mortuary. Mass will follow at noon at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Graveside services will be held immediately after at North Kern Cemetery.

Joe knew the end would come one day. How he wants to say goodbye, he wrote in one of his songs:

“The day I say goodbye to this world forever, I don’t want to see you crying. I want to see you all happy. I want to hear the bands playing so that I can say goodbye to you all.”