Yolo County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....Dela TORRES , Delfin 'Del' March 19 2004 ********************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/obits/ca/obitsca.htm ********************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Peggy B. Perazzo pbperazzo@comcast.net June 2, 2004, 12:36 pm Woodland "Daily Democrat," Tuesday, March 23, 2004 Delfin 'Del' Dela Torres On Friday, March 19, 2004 at the age of 86, Delfin "Del" Dela Torres, passed away in his home. His wife Caryl and a close family friend, Michael Neigg, were with him. Del was born in Kalaheo, Kauai, Hawaii on May 1, 1917. He was the youngest of thirteen children born to Antonio Dela Torres and Maria Caba Dela Torres. Antonio and Maria, along with four siblings at that time, migrated from Roja, Granada, Spain in April 1907 to start a new life in Hawaii. There, they worked on the sugar cane plantations. In 1928 when Del was 11, the family moved to California where they started their own family farming business, first in Morgan Hill and later in Gilroy. In 1942, hearing that farmland was plentiful in Yolo County, Del moved to Woodland. It was here that Del met and married his first wife Frieda Glunz Linderman and had three children. Along with raising his own family, Del took care of his aging parents. He bought them their home in Gilroy and supported them until their death. His love of family was strong and he continued that love with his own wife and children. At the end of World War II, Del's brother Frank, joined him in Woodland where they farmed together for 34 years. When Frank retired in 1978, Del's son Ron Dela Torres became his partner and they farmed together until Del retired in 1986. His love of farming started at the age of six, when to help his father get some rest at night, he would lie down in the ditch at the end of a row of tomatoes that was being irrigated. When the water reached him and got him wet, he would wake up and move to the next row. In those years everything was done by hand. No gadgets, no machines and no help, just hard, physical work and he truly loved what he did. He was the happiest when he was doing anything that had to do with farming. While most farmers took the winter months off, Del could be found in his shop fabricating equipment for the farm. He came up with several ideas that helped make farming a little easier. Del was a unique person. He was a self made man. His education stopped at the sixth grade, but he could add a list of numbers in his head faster than a person with a pencil and paper and be accurate to the penny. He had a talent for music. He could pick up any instrument and teach himself how to play. The harmonica was his favorite. As a young adult, Del enjoyed flying airplanes. Although an automobile accident ended his ability to pilot an airplane, he never lost his love of aircraft. He would read anything that had to do with planes and could answer any questions about them. His word and his handshake was better that any contract because it could not be brokern (sic). He didn't lie, cheat or steal and if you were his friend, it was for life. He will be greatly missed after life. Del is survived by his wife Caryl, son Ron Dela Torres and wife Linda, daughters Tina Tafoya and husband David, Sue Dela Torres, all of Woodland, grandchildren Ann Dela Torres of Reno, Ronda Neil of Oakley Ca., Allison Dela Torres, Stephanie Ruardado, Cory Acosta, all of Woodland, Melissa Tafoya of Sacramento, Chris and Margie Linderman of Dunsmuir, five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Del was preceded in death by his first wife Frieda, his parents Antonio and Maria; twelve brothers and sisters and stepson, David Linderman. Graveside services at Monument Hill Memorial Park are scheduled for Friday, March 26, 2004 at 11:30 a.m. The family requests that remembrances be in the form of flowers or donations to the charity of the donor's choice. McNary's Chapel of Woodland is assisting the family with the arrangements. Additional Comments: Submitted with the permission of the "The Daily Democrat," 711 Main St., Woodland, CA 95695. This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/caobfiles/ File size: 4.3 Kb