Margarito M. Rico

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Margarito Rico, it summarized in every way who he was. He was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him.

Margarito was born on February 22, 1921 at home in Corona, California. He was the son of Manuel and Bernarda Rico. Raised in Corona and Norco, California, he was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, he learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that he would carry with him throughout his life.

As a young boy, Margarito was always aware of how others around him felt and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Margarito was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Margarito was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, Margarito also had the ability to relate well with his family and friends. Margarito was raised with twelve Siblings. He had two older sisters Connie and Consuelo, one older brother Santos, five younger sisters, Lupe, Nellie, Beatrice, Helen, and Ester, and four younger brothers, Frank, John, Manuel, and Ralph. Margarito was constantly involved in activities with his family. Margarito and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

Growing up, Margarito was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. He was content to entertain himself. Margarito was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, he was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything he did as a child, Margarito was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around him. Margarito took part in a number of activities as a child. He took part in basketball and soccer. In his spare time he liked coin collecting and comics.

Margarito enjoyed learning. He always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Margarito was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. He often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Margarito was painstaking and accurate in his efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. Margarito enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers.

Most folks would say that Margarito was shy until they got to know him. Those who were privileged to know him well learned that he was a solid, good friend. Margarito was reluctant to generalize about people, and he based his friendships on his personal experiences. Because of this, Margarito best trusted those people that he truly knew. He was concerned about how those around him felt, and he always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. He could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that he made, Margarito kept. While growing up, some of his best friends were Pete and George Borba. Later in life, he became friends with Albert Briano, Walter Britschgi, Joe Borba, George Harada, Pat Veronla, and numerous dairymen and farmers.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Margarito. On March 1, 1952 Margarito married Lupe Torres at Saint Edwards Catholic Church of Corona, California. He was totally committed to Lupe and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Margarito naturally sensed his spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Margarito disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

If you gave Margarito a deadline, he would meet it. At work, Margarito was always on task. Without hesitation, Margarito could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. His primary occupation was as a business owner. He was employed for 47 years by Rico Trucking LLC as Owner. During that time, Margarito excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. He was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Margarito was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Margarito had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. He was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

Margarito was an Air force veteran. He seemed to thrive on the routines offered up by the military. Being a literal thinker with a calm exterior helped him handle the rigors of the military. He was in the Chemical Warfare Department from 1942 to 1946 and spent much of his military service stationed in New Guinea, and the Southern Philippines. Margarito saw action in World War 2. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Sharpshooter Sergeant. He received several awards including a American Campaign Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal and World war 2 Victory Medal.

Margarito liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Margarito's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Margarito preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were Coin Collecting and Antique cars and trucks. Margarito was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying his hobbies all by himself and could often be found just reading about his favorite pastimes.

While thorough and measured in his approach to things, Margarito often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. He was like that with sports. In high school, Margarito played basketball. He also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, he was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were Dodger baseball and boxing.

An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, his faith was important to Margarito. His compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in his personal beliefs. He was a member of Saint Edwards Catholic Church In Corona, California. During that time, he was an Alter boy.

Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Margarito had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that he was the trip planner. He would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included San Diego and traveling to the Desert and Mountains.

Margarito had Ricky, a Doberman Pincher Dog, who was his best friend for 12 years. His family was rounded out by his Small Chiwawa mix dog, Ricky. Margarito was as loyal to his pets as they were to him.

Margarito passed away on June 24, 2010 at Home in Corona, California. He is survived by his Brothers Santos, Manuel, and Ralph; and his sisters Lupe, Nellie, Beatrice, and Helen. Services were held at Saint Edwards Catholic Church in Corona, California. Margarito was laid to rest in Pierce Brothers Crestlawn Memorial Park in Riverside, California.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Margarito was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Margarito was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. Margarito Rico was very literal with his words. You always knew where you stood with Margarito. He will be missed.