Andy Baldonado

Ambrocio “Andy” Baldonado passed away on July 18, 2014, while recuperating from surgery. He was born in Riley, New Mexico in 1921, the first child of José Maria and Perfecta Baldonado and spent his childhood in Socorro, New Mexico.

In 1943, at the start of WWII, Andy joined the Army. He received his basic training in Fort Bliss, Texas then transferred Yakima, Washington for artillery practice. His next assignment was to Fort Sill, Oklahoma and then onto Camp Beale, California before shipping out and served as a Gunnery Sergeant with the 273rd Field Artillery Battalion in Europe. On his 21st birthday his unit landed on Utah Beach, France backing up the 4th Armor Division under General Patton's command. He served in the Battle of the Bulge, where he encountered most of his fighting during the war.

After the war, he moved to Los Angeles where he met Helen and married her three months later. They were married for 66 years. Andy and Helen moved to Downey in 1954 where he worked at Norris Thermador and McDonnell Douglas before opening his own auto repair business.

Andy and Helen moved to the Hemet area in 1982 where they retired. Andy was a member of the American Legion Post #53, the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge #1439, and a life member of both Elks Lodge #1740 and the Veterans of Foreign War Post #2266.

Andy was an avid golfer and he and Helen loved traveling and visiting family and friends throughout the States. At the age of 77, Andy studied to become a professional entertainer and performed as a clown to give something to orphaned children as he had been temporarily placed in an orphanage at an early age after the his mother’s death. This year, Andy was honored by participating in the Honor Flight from San Diego to Washington to view the WWII Memorial at which time many of his family joined him to honor him and thank him for his service to the country.

Andy was elected to the position of Resident Council President at Manor Care in Hemet where he and Helen were residing.

He is survived by his wife Helen; sons, Carlos Ortega and Rick Baldonado; daughters, Laura Romero and Sylvia Finnegan; thirteen grandchildren; twenty-two great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. He is also survived by two brothers and five sisters.

Andy was a descendant of the Chiricahua Apache Native Americans from the Southwest United States.

Donations, in lieu of flowers, to the Honor Flight San Diego are appreciated. You can send a check payable to: Honor Flight San Diego. It can be mailed to: Honor Flight San Diego, 9423 Keck Court, San Diego, CA 92129. Please be sure to write on the check Memo: In remembrance of Ambrocio Baldonado.