Ramon Candia

Ramon Araiza Candia, age 78, of Los Angeles, and formerly of El Paso, passed away in his home on April 30, 2023. Ramon was born on August 31, 1944, in Clint, Texas. He was the fifth child of the eleven children born to Longino and Victoria Candia.

Ramon is survived by his two daughters: Danelle Cortina and her husband, Miguel, of Rialto, CA, Lauren Candia Salerno and her husband, Mike, of Pasadena, CA, as well as his granddaughter Megan Elizabeth Cortina, and his great-grandchildren, Emersyn Ann Cortina and Grayson Ramon Guerra. He is also survived by six of his siblings — Ruben Candia, Rosa Blanco, Maria Brock, Celia Medina, Jose Longino Candia, and Armando Candia.

Ramon often spoke about what it was like to grow up in such a large family in a tiny home where everyone slept in one room. Eventually, the family would move to El Paso, TX where Ramon spent the rest of his youth.

Even though their El Paso home had much more room, Ramon still felt that the town was much too small. He was a big dreamer and a risk taker. When he graduated from high school, he moved to Los Angeles, California to become a rock star. He loved music. Though international fame was not in his future, he played guitar most of his life. Whether it was the bands of the emerging punk rock scene of the 70s or the staff talent shows at work or just an evening alone in the garage, he was legendary to all of us who got to hear him play.

Ramon served in the National Guard. He modestly said he wasn’t very good at being a soldier but acknowledged that he was an excellent marksman. It’s interesting to think about Ramon, the gentle person that he was, bearing witness as a Guardsman at the Watts Riots. He served out the rest of his term as a reserve and was later honorably discharged.

Ramon further served the city of Los Angeles by working his way up the ladder until he eventually became a hospital administrator. He worked for LA County health services for 38 years until his well-deserved retirement in 2008. From humble beginnings as the son of immigrants to building a comfortable life for himself and his family where everyone had their own room, Ramon truly lived the American dream.

He’ll be remembered the most as a man who loved his family. All will cherish the memories spent with Ramon, who was endlessly generous with his time and energy. There wasn’t a mountain he wouldn’t move for any one of us. He was present and loving and the best father and grandfather anyone could ask for.

He was a warm embrace for other family members trying their luck out in Los Angeles. He always kept a room open in case anyone might need it. Anyone who was lucky to get the Candia breakfast experience is sure to miss the box mix pancakes that somehow could never be replicated and the bottomless bacon strips that accompanied them. And, of course, because he was generous with absolutely everyone, some of that bacon would magically find its way to the ground to be gobbled up by grateful grandpuppies.

We will all miss the corny jokes, the way he would start to sing while working on something, his creative spirit, the way he encouraged us all to dream a little bigger. We were so lucky to have him in our lives.

All are welcome to join Ramon’s family at his gathering of family and friends on Saturday, May 27, 2023, from 2:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. at Forest Lawn Covina Hills for a memorial service at Church of our Heritage, 21300 Via Verde Drive, Covina, CA 91724.