Virginia Delgado

Virginia Delgado, 91, of Dinuba, California passed away on June 3, 2016 at Kaweah Delta Hospital after a brief illness. Virginia was born on February 26, 1925 at the family home in Dinuba - the same location where she continued to reside. She was the first born girl in her family and quickly spoiled by her four older brothers. Virginia attended Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Washington schools and graduated from Dinuba High School in 1943.

The Delgado name is inherently associated, in Dinuba, with the family restaurant that her parents started and where many Delgado family members worked. Delgado's cafe first opened on Flag Day June 14, 1944 in a vacated building which had been a fish market. Building owner, Mr. Breilin, approached Papa Joe Delgado with his idea for a Mexican restaurant and with a handshake a deal was made. Delgado's Cafe would operate for the next 47 years. In 1954 after the sudden death of her mother, Jesusita, Virginia assumed all cooking responsibilities at the Cafe and would eventually become full-time owner and operator. For many of her friends and family the enduring image of Virginia will be the image of her in the kitchen at her restaurant. The Cafe was her passion. Using only the freshest meats and vegetables, her tacos, enchiladas, rice, beans, and salsa were incomparable. When not in the kitchen, Virginia would come out to visit with customers or more often customers would step-in to the kitchen to say hello. What Virginia enjoyed most was that generations of families were part of her restaurant. Children that she knew as newborn babies would eventually marry and bring their families. She would explain that the weekend after Thanksgiving was her favorite weekend at the restaurant because so many family members would be home for the holiday and she could see them all when they came to the Cafe for dinner. In many ways Delgado's Cafe was an extension of many family dinner tables. In 1991 Virginia decided to retire choosing to do it on the same day - Flag Day- June 14 --47 years after the day that the Cafe first opened.

Virginia's greatest joy was spending time with her family and despite her busy work schedule she would make the time to attend birthday parties, graduation ceremonies and other special occasions for her two sons, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and eventually her great grandchildren. Virginia loved spending time in her garden maintaining her beautiful roses, knowing each of them by name. She loved her pet dogs and cats. She also enjoyed her volunteer work as a Pink Lady, at voting polls, and the Dinuba Senior Center. She was a devout member of St. Catherine's Catholic Church where she volunteered hours at the office as well as cooking for the many of the church functions.

Virginia is preceded in death by her parents Jose and Jesusita Delgado and her brothers: Robert, Felix, Enick, and Lupe Delgado.

She is survived by her sister Isabel Ybarra (Delgado), her sons Christopher and Stephen and daughter-in-law Begoñe Alvarez; grandchildren and spouses Melanie (Derek) Vanciel, Stephen (Defne) Delgado; 5 loving great grandchildren Kaden, Sloane, and Rhys Vanciel; Sadie and Felix Delgado and numerous nieces and nephews.

Rosary will be held on June 9, 2016 at 6:30 pm at Dopkins Chapel in Dinuba and the Funeral mass on June 10 at 9:00 am at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Dinuba. She will be laid to rest next to her brother, Lupe, at Smith Mountain Cemetery.