Jose Olvera Vargas was born in Lompoc, California on March 10, 1943. He passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his mother, daughter and family on October 29, 2013 in Santa Maria, California.
Joe served in the United States Marine Corp in the early sixties. After serving in the Marines he left Lompoc and moved to southern California. There he worked as a bartender in Santa Monica and then worked for many years with Everest & Jennings in Culver City. His last job was that of a truck driver working for KLM.
He leaves behind his mother, Josefa, daughter Michelle, step-daughters Helen and Junet, step-sons Paul, Richard and Leonard, five grandchildren Andy, Isabel, Lexi, Samy and Ivy; two brothers Pancho and Johnny Boy; five sisters, Yoli, Lupe, Laura, Rachel and Cathy; seven nephews Guy, Manuel, Jimmy, Gilbert, Favian, Marcus and Isaac; five nieces Selena, Andrea, Nicolette, Amber and Irene; eight great-nephews; nine great-nieces; two great-great- nieces and one great-great-nephew!
Jose was his legal name but to his mom he was Mijo, to his daughter he was Daddy, to his grandchildren he was Grandpa Joe, to his brothers, sisters, cousins and aunt he was Junior, to all of his nieces and nephews he was Tio J. and to his friends he was Spook.
The visitation will be Thursday, November 14, from 5 to 8pm with an evening vigil at 6pm in the chapel of the Starbuck-Lind Mortuary. Father Tom Cook will celebrate the mass of Christian burial on Friday, November 15, at 10am at La Purisima Catholic Church. Interment will follow in the Lompoc Evergreen Cemetery.
He was a big, kind-hearted man who will be forever loved and remembered by his family.