John Lizarraga, Sr. lived an extraordinary life, filled with the things he valued most: family, community service, growing his business and athletics. He was born in Los Angeles, California and moved with his parents to a ranch in Antelope Valley where they grew alfalfa and raised cattle. He lived and worked alongside his cousins Josephine, Blanche, Carmen, Eddie and Nancy and their parents. Childhood chores included milking goats and cows and by age 13 he was working on the alfalfa baler before school.
He was an avid athlete through high school, playing basketball, football, and track at Antelope Valley High. He was the sophomore high school president, junior year vice president and belonged to the Letterman’s and Knights clubs. After high school he was drafted into the US Army and was stationed at Pearl Harbor as a sharpshooter, serving from 1944-46.
After the war he completed two years at Antelope Valley College, where he played and coached football and was later inducted into the Whit Carter Hall of Fame for his athletic excellence. He was also invited to try out for the LA Dodgers professional baseball team. He received a football scholarship to UCLA where he played single wing tailback and strong safety and developed a lifelong passion for cheering on the Bruins. He met his wife Patty when he was a coach at Antelope Valley College, and she was a cheerleader. They married in 1955 and remained husband and wife for 57 years. They moved to Lompoc in 1956 to start their life together and raise three children: Janet Lizarraga, Johnny Lizarraga and Dr. Jennifer Lizarraga Richards.
He was a man of few words, but many, many actions, and the occasional, memorable, and unexpected loud outburst of laughter. He founded his business, Aceco Equipment company in 1958. This was his first business venture in Lompoc and the financial foundation for his family. Through his work at Aceco he served the community and built relationships with many families, businesses, and organizations.
He was known for coaching Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball teams in the 1970s, where he met and influenced many players. He donated equipment and time to maintain the Little League and Babe Ruth Fields. In 1999, as a tribute to his years of service, the John Lizarraga Baseball Field was named in his honor.
One of the bigger accomplishments in his work life was being one of the founders of the First Valley Bank of Lompoc and serving on its board for 24 years.
He was an active member of the La Purisima Church and community for decades. He helped support La Purisima through volunteering, providing equipment and giving of his time and labor. He helped to build the La Purisima Elementary School, that all three of his children attended and that continues to function to this day.
He was broadly involved in the Lompoc community, serving on the Chamber of Commerce for 10 years and was named Man of the Year in 1982. He served on the Lompoc Hospital Foundation Board and worked for decades on the Santa Barbara County Housing Authority which functions to provide housing to those most in need.
In 2008, the City of Lompoc honored him for his extraordinary generosity and exemplary dedication to the citizens and community of Lompoc by planting a tree in his honor in Recognition Grove.
His enthusiasm for sports began early. He attended his first Olympic event in 1932, when he and his uncle, Caesar, watched the marathoners run by Caesar’s butcher shop in downtown Los Angeles. For many years he coached and cheered on his children and grandchildren in their many athletic endeavors in Lompoc. A true highlight of his adult years was his travel to many countries to watch premier athletes compete in the Olympics. He attended The Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984, in Seoul, Korea in 1988, Barcelona, Spain in 1992, Atlanta, Georgia in 1996, Sydney, Australia in 2000, Athens, Greece, in 2004, Beijing, China in 2008, Vancouver, Canada, in 2010, London, United Kingdom in 2012 and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016. He shared many of these times with our lucky uncle, Mike.
The list of accomplishments still doesn’t do justice to the role he played in the lives of family and friends. He was a role model to many based on his honesty, reliability, generosity, hard work and tenacity. He built a foundation that allowed so many others to have years of stability and opportunity, and he could always be counted on as a source of help and advice. He supported and was loved by his extended family of four generations.
He is celebrated by his children Janet, John Jr (Gayle) and Jennifer (John), his grandchildren Katelyn, Cameron (Adam), Rawley, Cam, Royce, Skylar, and his great-grandson Derick.
The family has chosen to have a private memorial service and extends their gratitude to Dr. Rollin Bailey, his nurse Maria, Dr. Bindu Kamal, Dr. Sandy Wilson, VNA Hospice and Karen and Saul Dominquez Jr, for their superb care.
Donations in his name can be made to Lompoc Babe Ruth Baseball (PO Box 92, Lompoc, CA 93436) or the Lompoc High School Baseball team (515 West College Ave, Lompoc, CA 93436).
