Roberto D. Diaz

Roberto Diaz, 74, of Santa Ana, CA and born of Nicolas Diaz and Angela Diaz in Huandacareo, Michoacan Mexico on February 05, 1949, sadly left us on December 10, 2023 following natural causes.

Roberto is survived by his wife of forty-nine years Graciela Diaz, daughter Maria Angelica Diaz, daughter Patricia Salazar, son in-law Oscar Salazar and granddaughter Chelsea Soleil Salazar, and his son Roberto Diaz Jr. and daughter in-law Kristel Apodaca who he all loved and cared for deeply.

He was the oldest of seven siblings who he held dear to his heart: Esperanza, Lupe, Theresa, Lucia, Nicolas, Maria Luisa, and Elidia. He was a good friend to all but his long-time childhood friend and best friend till the end was Carmen Huerta.

In his endeavors of chasing the American Dream, he crossed the border illegally many times to work in the fields as his father previously did. Most of the time he would not get caught but there is this one time he did, and he shared that adventure as much as he could. In his crossings to earn the American Dollars he worked in the farming-agriculture industry in Watsonville, CA. There he lived in farming housing where one room was filled with isles of bunk beds shared by many farm workers. He picked fruits and vegetables during different picking seasons. However, being the only person out of his co-workers who knew how to drive, he was moved to tractor driver and was proud of himself for it as he didn’t have to do much hard labor now. Though, during the off picking season he would go to Santa Ana where he worked at a carwash until one day a good friend of his suggested he applied at the company he worked at.

Roberto was a smart and hard-working man. He had been a butcher for 40-years, he learned his knife skills in Mexico but then had an opportunity in Chicago to work for a meat packing company where he learned the meat cuts. He would stay in Chicago through the seasons at times but then moved to Santa Ana after taking a temporary carwash job while picking was off season. A longtime friend of his “El Viboro” suggested he apply to a meat company in Irvine. He was hired as a butcher and exercised that job for eighteen years.

Settled now in Santa Ana he did not return for picking season in Watsonville as planned. As the years went by, he worked at different meat companies between Pico Rivera and Ontario California, where he sharpened his butcher skills and was always a top cutter and trained many butchers. As an expert butcher his company honored him by featuring him in a meat magazine. He proudly retired from Newport Meat Company in Irvine after 25 years of excellent service. 

Roberto was a provider and a family man. He always made sure his family was taken care of no matter the circumstances. His biggest and proudest achievements in life were his family, particularly his granddaughter Chelsea, who was his pride and joy. He would always say, “she is a Mini Patty” who he loved with all his heart.

He was proud of being a butcher. If you had an ear to lend, he had a story to tell about knives or meat cuts. Each knife was used for a specific cut. He had a chart in his garage to match his meat cut stories.

He was a hustler, he prepared and sold carnitas for parties, sold various meat cuts from his home business for more than thirty years and at some point held a part time job at a grocery store in “La Cuatro” as a meat cutter. He enjoyed a good “Charla” and laughed with his clients.

He bought his house in Santa Ana in the specific area he wanted it in. He will tell the story of his realtor and how he kept showing him homes in the area where he thought he should be placed in. However, against his realtors' advice he bought his first home in the neighborhood he wanted. In his younger days he said that once he retired, he would move his house to Huandacareo and live his last days there. Despite his house never making it to Huandacareo he did live his last days at home where he passed.

He was an honorable and loved man. He always made sure his family came first. He always had a roof over their heads, food on the table, clothes on their backs and extras to make everyone feel good. For example; Barbies and Barbos for Patty….. He put his son Robert Jr. through college and made sure he always had the best medical attention and medical coverage for his wife Graciela. Whether in the U.S. or in Mexico.

He was a proud man. Especially when he accomplished his goals, like when he bought his first brand new car; Honda Civic. Then followed by his two Tacoma’s.

He was a very versatile man; he enjoyed watching sports, especially when he betted money and mostly always winning. He enjoyed drinking tequila and pajaretes. He drove all the way to Chino to have his pajaretes but, he always kept a “Pachita” in his glove compartment. Thus, causing him to miss a Monday at work here and there, enough for his boss to say, “Monday Monday Monday……” each time he called out sick. He loved to sing at home where he could record himself but really enjoyed singing for a crowd at family parties or getting together with Mariachi like he did for his “Hermoso Cariño” Patty’s wedding. We all enjoyed listening to his amazing voice.  

He had a passion for singing and idolized Vicente Fernandez. Thanks to a good friend of his, a promoter, he was able to meet and take a picture with him backstage at a concert many years ago. His party attire was a cowboy look with his tejana, botas cowboy, and his nicely pressed shirt and pants combo. He couldn’t forget his gold chains, rings, bracelet, and watch.

Like I said, he was a versatile man: he loved running long distances and hiking at Peters Canyon in Tustin with Robert Jr. and Patty but he also liked to run at Santa Ana College and the Santa Ana River Trail.

As a young man he played baseball and as a father taught his son how to play at a young age. One of his favorite moments was when he and his son would go to the gym and lift weights together. At some point he had his own home gym with a makeshift pullup bar and all… He was a very active man.

Unfortunately, Parkinson’s changed his life. Instead of weekend hikes at Peter’s Canyon it became a Tijuana trip to the Dr.’s with Patty. They had a routine. He would go to 711 on the corner of Flower and 17th and buy coffee for himself and one for Patty. He poured his on his blue Newport work mug and Patty’s in the silver BMW mug that Robert Jr. had gifted him. However, the best routine of all was after the Dr.’s visit. They grabbed Tacos El Gordo (his favorite tacos), medicine, a couple of tequila bottles and then crossed the border and exited the freeway at the 1st exit to go to 711 for a coffee. His favorite 711 of all was the one on Bristol and Washington. Everyone knew him there. He bought scratchers and scratched away in the parking lot while sitting in his Tacoma and drinking his coffee. He liked that time alone.

Everyone who knew him, knew that he loved to sleep. He was proud to know that both Patty and his nephew Ivan loved to sleep as much as he did. He said they were Diaz. Now he sleeps and is resting in peace.

Thank you for being part of his life.

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