Richard Trinidad Denton

DENTON, RICHARD T.; Was born in San Diego, California on May 30, 1926 and passed away on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 in San Diego, CA surrounded by his loving family. A visitation is scheduled for Monday, April 8, 2013 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at Beardsley Mitchell Funeral Home, 1818 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego, CA. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at 11:00 AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 4776 Saratoga Ave., San Diego, CA.

Richard Trinidad Denton, 86, son of one of San Diego’s original pioneer families passed away on Tuesday April 2, 2013 at Balboa Nursing Facility in San Diego. Richard was born in San Diego on St. Trinidad’s Day on May 30th, 1926.

The Denton family alternated between living in San Diego and at the family ranch in Mexico, near Jacumba, California.

From the time he was a small boy, Richard enjoyed the great outdoors—hunting deer and quail among the scenic backdrop of the La Rumorosa Mountains. Even to his last day, one of his greatest desires was to go “up to the ranch” to hunt.

After graduating from Sweetwater High School, Richard joined the Naval Forces for World War II, attended Trade School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and then was stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he recalled great times spent at Sunday luaus with some of the local families.

Upon the end of the war, Richard returned to San Diego and met his lovely first wife, Joan Klosterman, who coincidentally was part native Hawaiian, to whom he was married for 36 years. Richard and his wife had three children, Debra, Rick, and Michael, all who currently reside in San Diego.

Eventually Richard went to work as a Plumbing Estimator at Nalco while raising his new family. Purchasing a brand new home in Clairemont, suburban family life for Richard included coaching his son’s baseball team and chauffeuring his daughter to school dances.

In the 1960’s, he spent the majority of his free time building his ranch, El Rancho Aqua de Fiero, in the same area as his parent’s rancho.

His wife Joan became ill and passed away in 1984. A year later, Richard retired from University Mechanical and took a road trip down the Baja Peninsula with his good “compadre” Cacho.

Envisioning his retirement, Richard decided that San Jose del Cabo would be the perfect place to set up a small business. In 1986, he opened Deportiva Pisces, a small fishing tackle shop that catered to the local townspeople and visiting sports fishermen alike. It was there that he met his second wife, Herlinda Chiapa, who he referred to as “ Mi Riena” or “My Queen” to his final day.

“Don Richard” as he was known to all, was famous for his love of cooking. Lucky visitors from around the world were able to taste his creations first hand in his secret kitchen in the back of the tackle shop. A welcome margarita or cold cerveza was always at hand under the palapa in the tropical backyard patio!

Deportiva Pisces was honored with fashioning the winning lure in the world-class Cabo San Lucas Marlin Fishing Tournament in 2000, a distinction that Richard was so very proud of.

The Cabo years were idyllic for Richard and his wife. After a busy week of tending to his shop, they would spend countless Sundays on the terrace at the Hotel Palmilla listening to the mariachis, or attending local fiestas with family and friends. Numerous trips were made along the Baja highways to visit his family in San Diego, each an adventure in itself.

His final year was spent in San Diego with his beloved Herlinda at his side and his family and close friends stopping by to recall the wonderful memories of years past.

Richard is survived by his wife, Herlinda, three children, Debra, Rick, and Michael, his three Grandchildren, Pamela, Danica, and Jamie, as well as five Great Grandchildren, Stewart, Davis, Graydon, Jackson and Macy.