Our Lady of Guadalupe came for our beloved Ronnie on December 12, 2020, at his home in Lompoc, California, where he was under hospice care as a result of terminal cancer. He often spoke of being called on that feast day, and his request was granted. His prayers and devotion to his Catholic faith provided him with daily spiritual comfort throughout his lifetime.
Ronald “Ronnie” Robledo was born on July 8, 1950 in Santa Barbara, California and grew up in Highgrove, California. He attended Highgrove Elementary School, University Heights Junior High and North High School, all in Riverside, California. In high school, he made history by being the first male song leader for the North High Huskies. Upon graduation from high school he enrolled in Riverside City College where he received his AA degree, he then transferred to the University of California at Santa Barbara where he received a Bi-lingual/Bi-cultural Certificate in Education. While attending UCSB, Ronnie was active in the Chicano Social Movement of the ‘sixties and ‘seventies and led a United Farmworkers March with Cesar Chavez in Goleta, California.
Ronnie enjoyed being around people and followed a life of service by helping others. After college, he assisted at daycare centers both in Carpinteria and Goleta. For many years he was employed at DMV in Santa Barbara as a driving examiner. Subsequently, he was an administrative assistant for Express Furniture in Ventura, California. He then was a baker at Panadería Don Ysidro in Santa Barbara, and later was employed at the Sansum Clinic and CVS, both in Carpinteria, California.
As a people person, Ronnie loved to laugh and touched many lives with his warm, caring, and out-going personality. He was a kind and generous person who made friends easily and would give you his last dollar if he thought you needed it. His counseling and advice were peppered with the words, “Give it to God” and ” It is better to give than to receive.” Mr. R., as he was affectionately called by some members of his family, welcomed everyone into his home where he loved to entertain and listen to music, especially “Amor Eterno” by Rocio Durcal. He was an excellent cook, specializing in traditional Mexican cuisine and fiery salsas. His style of refried beans was influenced by his maternal grandmother, Carmen “Mama Carmen” Nieves of Carpinteria, California. Among his family and friends, his chile verde and chile japones were popular and nobody left his home hungry. At his Lompoc retirement community, Ronnie shared his dishes and baked goods with his grateful neighbors. He would say that he followed in his paternal grandfather’s footsteps, Ysidro Robledo, who began his baking career in his hometown of San Miguel el Alto, Jalisco, Mexico, and retired from the Martinez Bakery in Colton, California.
Along with enjoying cooking and baking, Ronnie was an avid animal lover, who would exercise and relax by walking his dogs alongside the beach bluffs when he lived in Carpinteria, California. He always had a variety of pets in his home, with his treasured cats Tita and Tito being his last, and considered them like his children. He was inspired by St. Francis of Assisi’s philosophy of being kind to all living things.
Ronnie will be dearly missed by his family and friends who will remember him with love and fondness; he is survived by his brother Gilbert Robledo (Mary Ellen) of Carpinteria, his twin sister Rosanna Rodriguez of Carpinteria, California, Bobby Avila (Lucy) of Florida; Esther Alvarado of Santa Barbara; Joey Reveles (Maria) of Hawaii; Carmen Pena (Juan) of Moreno Valley, California; and numerous nieces and nephews. Ronnie was preceded in death by his parents Asuncion Robledo of Colton, California and Esther Sanchez of Carpinteria, California; brothers Mario Robledo of Goleta, California and Veto Avila of Carpinteria, California.
His family would like to thank VNA Medical for the services he received during his hospice care, especially by Ana, along with his neighbor, Debbie Hohenstein.
Ronnie, our cherished brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend will be laid to rest at Carpinteria Cemetery. A Celebration of Life commemorative event will be announced at a later date due to current Covid-19 restrictions. Bendiciones a todos y gracias por su paciencia durante esta temporada dificil.
Que nuestro querido Ronnie descanse en los brazos de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe y disfrute de Su amor eterno
