Raul F. Delgado

Raul F. Delgado, a loving father, passed away on June 23, 2008. He was 80 years old. He was born on August 16, 1927 to Guadalupe and Cristina Delgado in Taft, Texas. He retired after 35 years of farming for the Patterson family, at which time he went to work for the Taft Independent School District as a Custodian at the East Elementary Campus where he worked for 7+ years. This was his true calling because all the children and teachers loved him because he was so giving and did all he could to make their day brighter. He gave advice to kids who were on the road to trouble and now these kids tell of the days Raul helped them by giving them advice that made them change their lives as they now aspire to be productive citizens in their community. After heart conditions which led to heart bypass surgery and multiple strokes, Raul was forced to retire from his job and stay home and enjoy retirement. Raul was never one to stay home and do nothing so he would go out and help everyone he could with anything he could. He helped his sons, Juan and Raul Jr. do carpentry projects such as build speaker cabinets, racks and rolling cases to haul the musical equipment. He continued to do things around the house until he just kept getting older, more ill and unable to do much work. He eventually hit his true 1st low point in his life when he lost his oldest son, Juan Jose, to death in 2001. That seemed to take the love for life that Raul and his wife Juanita had to a whole new level because they saw that time was not forever. Around this time, his wife Juanita was also starting to experience health problems so he spent his days taking care of her: cleaning, cooking and doing anything he could to make her life more bearable. In 2003, he hit what was the most devastating blow he had ever had, he lost his true love Juanita to a battle with bone cancer and diabetes. He spent many months recouperating over his wife's death, but grandkids seemed to be the savior in this case. He was so proud of his grandkids and they loved him so much. He continued to slow down due to his ongoing battle with diabetes and eventually on June 23rd, 2008, he lost his battle with life and was called to heaven by God. He died in his own home, after eating a good breakfast, not much suffering was experienced, just as he had always said he wanted to go, in his home and not too much suffering. A sense of peace overcame the Delgado home as everyone knew he had finally made it home to see his son and true love of many years which he had missed now for about 5 years. He is missed dearly each and every day, but his family knows he is smiling now in Heaven.NOTE:Raul was preceded in death by his wife, Juanita A. Delgado, and a son, Juan Jose Delgado. He is survived by a son, Raul A. Delgado, Jr. of Taft, Texas, a daughter, Rose M. (Guadalupe) Manjarrez of Taft, Texas, two brothers, Manuel (Mary) Delgado and Guadalupe (Vera) Delgado both of Michigan, and one sister, Teresa (Tony) Bustos of Oklahoma,five grand children (Lorie, Ronnie, John, Jeremy and Clarissa) and three great-grandchildren. A rosary was recited at 7:00 PM on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at Colonial Funeral Home. A funeral mass was celebrated at 10:00 AM on Friday, June 27, 2008 at Immaculate Conception Church. Burial followed at the Taft Memorial Park where he was laid to rest next to his loving wife Juanita and son Juan Jose Delgado.