Robert Del Campo

Robert Del Campo was born in Riverside, California, on March 3, 1938 to John and Claudia Del Campo. He was the eldest of his four siblings, Joanne, Lucia, Steve, and Jim. As a boy, he loved to visit with his grandmother, Carmen Ramirez, who always had refried beans waiting for him. He often reminisced about his fond memories of spending summers with his Aunt Minnie and the fun he had during bike rides through the hills of the city of Corona with his cousins Joe and Donald. While he was young, Robert had a paper route, and as a teenager he worked in the citrus fields in Corona, picking lemons and oranges. Robert enjoyed body building and running around the track at Corona Senior High in his younger years. He attended Washington Elementary and Lincoln Elementary schools as a child, as well as Corona Junior High, Corona Senior High, and Saint Francis de Salle in Riverside. During his senior year of high school, Robert chose to serve his country in the United States Air Force. He had the privilege of being a military police officer while stationed in Korea. When he returned from duty he completed school, receiving his high school diploma and attended Chaffey College. In 1960, at the age of 22, Robert married Priscilla Corona. A year later in 1961, they had their first child, a daughter named Kimberly, and in 1962 they had a son named Robert Warren. Robert and Priscilla were married for 52 years.

Over the years, Robert was blessed to have many jobs and careers. In addition to his jobs as a newspaper boy and picking citrus and cotton in the summer, he was an apprentice electrician, aerospace draftsman, emergency medical technician, liquor store owner, catering truck owner, real estate investor, and lastly, a fireman. He felt honored to be a fireman and retired from the Corona Fire Department in 1984. Although he relished his career as a fireman, it did not compare to the job that gave him the most pleasure; to be a grandfather to Jordan, Kylie, Madison, and Zion. He took great pride in being the best grandfather he could by dedicating each grandchild to the Lord and helping them grow into young men and women who love the Lord. He also loved to travel with family and friends, go for rides around town listening to songs from the 1950’s, play cards, watch old science fiction and western movies, and walk in the park.

On July 23, 2013 at 12:20 am, Robert Del Campo went to be with the Lord in heaven. He loved the Lord with all of his heart. He was loved not only by his family, but every person he met. Robert was a friend to all and no one was a stranger to him. He acted as a father to men younger than him, offering wisdom and prayers during their hard times. He was the strength of our family and although we will miss him dearly, we take great comfort in knowing where he will spend eternity and we will see him again one day.