Ruben Martinez Cornejo passed away peacefully on March 20, 2024, in Santa Maria at the age of 95.

Ruben was born on March 19, 1929, in Colton, California to Jose and Maria Cornejo. He was known to say that he was born "the day the swallows come back to Capistrano."

In the early 1930s the family moved to the Central Coast where they traveled around California to follow the seasonal crop harvests, living for a time as part of the Lompoc Train Depot Community, eventually settling in Lompoc. Ruben spoke with great joy of the times the family was at Cojo Ranch, where he would play by the water and pull abalone right out of the ocean and take it home to eat. Ruben was also quite fond of his time in Shandon, where he worked with the horses that would drag the harvested almonds on large canvases.

When he was 14, Ruben met Barbara Jean Macias for the first time and knew immediately that he would marry her. The two courted for several years, attending dances together at the Veterans Hall in Lompoc and going to prom together.

In 1948 Ruben enlisted in the US Army and was stationed in Panama. While he was there, he wrote to Barbara and asked her to marry him, and she joyfully agreed. Barbara moved to Panama, where the two were married on December 26, 1950.

Ruben's military service took the couple from duty station to duty station and their family grew to include their four children: Mark, Cynthia, Richard and Marcia. Ruben's leadership, initiative and savvy were quickly recognized. He served honorably for 20 years. He often spoke with pride of his service in the Army, particularly of his time in Germany in a reconnaissance battalion, running training drills in the Bavarian Alps. In 1968 Ruben retired as a Master Sergeant.

He spent another 16 years as a counselor at the Federal Correctional Institution, Lompoc where he was recognized for exemplary service.

It was this "above-and-beyond" service that made Ruben stand out – in work, and in life, alike. He lived a truly full life. He was a storyteller, a golfer, a fisherman and a gardener. In retirement, Ruben and Barbara vacationed in Italy, Spain, Mexico, China and Alaska. They traveled around the United States in an RV and loved taking their granddaughters camping at Pismo Beach in the summers. He was an excellent dancer and was, inevitably, the best dressed man at any party. His love and dedication to Barbara, through 70 years of marriage and a beautiful lifetime together has been an example of love for his entire family and everyone who knew him.

His life, legacy and stories live on in his four children: Mark (Cindy) Cornejo, Cynthia Segovia, Richard Cornejo, and Marcia Cornejo; his four grandchildren – Stacey (Sean) Larsen, Cassie (Lance) Campa, Brett (Jacob) Claborn, and Melanie (Kyle) Tweet; and his eleven great-grandchildren – Taylor, Landon, Charlie, Patrick, Harper, Chloe, Collin, Ava, Kevy, Summer and Skye.

He is preceded in death by his parents Jose and Maria Cornejo and his siblings: Joe Cornejo, Socorra Lopez, Carmen Medina, Rosie Valadez, Betty Alvarado, Alice Contreras, and Gilbert Cornejo.

A celebration of life will be held graveside at Lompoc Evergreen Cemetery on Wednesday April 3, 2024, at 11:00 am. The arrangements are under the direction of Starbuck-Lind Mortuary in Lompoc, CA. In lieu of flowers please donate to your favorite charity in his honor.