Joseph Charles Tombrello

When someone is identified as a natural leader, certain images come to mind. First thoughts are of a no-nonsense, tough-minded, dedicated and disciplined person. This description accurately fits Joseph Charles Tombrello who was indeed a born manager. He will be remembered as being highly organized, practical and realistic. He was a person who always carried a strong sense of duty with him throughout his life. Possessed with traditional “old school” morals, Joseph was an individual who clearly communicated to those around him just who he was and what he was all about. Everyone acquainted with Joseph knew him as a well-respected man who was a stable force in his community.

Joseph was born on July 22, 1927 in Ensely, Alabama. His parents were Joseph and Mary Dona. Joseph was raised in Los Angeles, California. Even as a youngster, Joseph learned to be objective and decisive. His faith in the principles of authority and dependability was something that he carried with him throughout his life.

As a young boy, Joseph was able to put his natural abilities to work. He was a bit like the sergeant of the family, helping to make sure that the others did what they should do and that they avoided those things they weren’t supposed to. In other words, he liked to organize and direct. Joseph was raised with three siblings. He had three younger sisters, Dolly, Jeanette and Frances. Joseph had an inborn appreciation for the order in the family, allowing for the oldest members to be the most respected and to take on the most responsibility. For Joseph, this was a natural order of life, one he gladly embraced.

Joseph's matter-of-fact attitude about most things was developed during his childhood. As a young boy, Joseph enjoyed being part of teams, and organizations and groups of other kids who shared similar interests. Joseph took part in neighborhood football games. He took part in ROTC in high school. In his spare time he liked Hop-a-long Cassidy and westerns.

In school, Joseph was as close to being a model student as one could possibly imagine. He sought to achieve perfect attendance in all of his classes. He would eagerly complete his homework, and often put in extra study time when he felt it was necessary. A logical and focused thinker, Joseph was always good at following directions and meeting his schedules, whether they were set by his teachers or were self-imposed. Joseph’s personal motto could well have been, “Do it right the first time.” He attended Lincoln High School but left before senior year to join the Navy and finished when he got out at night classes. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was P E.

Joseph was sociable and approachable. Because he was always so straightforward in how he approached relationships, friends and family knew that what they saw was always what they got. He enjoyed the camaraderie of being with a group of friends. When Joseph was a member of a group, his interaction worked to keep the others grounded. He wasn’t afraid to confront his friends and, when necessary, he challenged them to stick to the task at hand. Those close to Joseph came to expect his high standards of performance. While growing up, some of his best friends were Raul Alvarado, Pete Rossich and George Guidera. Later in life, he maintained his friendships with his childhood friends and live down the street from Raul and his wife Betty for over 50 years.

An objective and conscientious individual, Joseph reveled in the security of his family. On April 25, 1953 Joseph exchanged wedding vows with Elizabeth Ann Carr at the All Saints Catholic Church of El Sereno, California. One of Joseph’s most endearing qualities was his uncanny ability to remember important dates and anniversaries, and his unending enthusiasm for organizing a celebration for his family and friends.

Joseph was ever watchful of his children. He worried about them and was deeply concerned for their development as they grew up. He maintained a firm hand in their upbringing. Joseph would give his stamp of approval to their requests, as long as he could see how they might benefit. He also had the ability to enforce the rules as needed to ensure that his children were properly raised. Joseph was blessed with six children, three sons, Joey, Michael and Paul and three daughters, Francine, Donna and Kristina. They were also blessed with eighteen grandchildren, Angela, Theresa, Jeremy, Jamie, Valerie, David, Gabriella, Amanda, Chelsea, Dana, Keri, Jake, Ryan, Erinn, Hailey, Hannah, Danielle and Noah.

Being a hard worker who praised efficiency, Joseph was always striving to make improvements where they were necessary. He was able to analyze situations and problems, keeping everything and everyone on track. An excellent project supervisor, Joseph was a person who could quickly make decisions based on the information available. He worked cooperatively and expected the same from his colleagues. In both his personal and professional environments, Joseph upheld his standards. His primary occupation was supervisor for the phone company. He was employed for 33 years by Pacific Telephone Company. Joseph was a team player who certainly lived out the motto of “give me a job, and I will get it done.”

Joseph was a Naval veteran. His sense of duty helped lead him into the military where his understanding of rank, his willingness to abide by rules and regulations and his desire to follow orders was admired by his fellow service men and women. He was in the Philippines during WWII. Joseph saw action for World War II. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Seaman First Class.

Joseph approached his leisure time in the same manner that he approached his life. A person who enjoyed being neat and orderly and one who understood the nature of things, he appreciated the hours he was able to devote to his various hobbies. His favorite pursuits were golf, John Wayne westerns and collecting state coins. Joseph was content to enjoy his favorite pastimes alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Playing by the rules was a natural thing for Joseph to do in life and that carried over to his enjoyment of sports. Recreational sports included golf, bowling and coaching sons Little League teams. He also was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were golf, some football and baseball.

Being generous with his time and energy, Joseph liked to belong to a variety of groups and organizations. He was a vocal leader who enjoyed being a part of things. His desire to uphold traditions and his ability to take charge of any type of project made him a tremendous asset. In high school, Joseph was a member of the ROTC. Throughout his later years, Joseph was an active member of the St. Christopher Federal Credit Union Board of Directors, ACORN 52 and Telephone Co. Pioneers.

Faith was important to Joseph. He held high moral standards and was worried about the moral decay he saw around him. For that reason he held deep spiritual beliefs that he was willing to share. He was a member of St. Christopher Catholic Church. During that time, he actively participated in the annual church Fiesta.

When it came time to travel or take a vacation, Joseph used his scheduling expertise to make sure everyone and everything was ready to go. That also meant that he made certain no single person was overworked in putting the trip together. Joseph had a knack for making sure that everyone who was involved had their specific tasks and that those tasks were completed. Favorite vacations included family camping trips to Lake Mead, timeshares in Lake Tahoe and Oceanside and cruises to Hawaii, Alaska and Caribbean.

When Joseph’s retirement finally arrived in 1982, he was well prepared. He used his critical evaluation skills to make sure that every detail had been preplanned and attended to. In retirement, he found new pleasure in playing golf, gardening around the house and traveling. In many ways, Joseph loved retirement. It provided him with the opportunity to catch up with his friends, attend functions and group outings, and tackle new interesting activities.

Joseph passed away on January 26, 2011 at Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, California. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth, his six children and eighteen grandchildren. Services were held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Joseph was laid to rest in Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.

All who knew him would agree that Joseph was a pillar of the community. He lived his life with his feet firmly on the ground. He had a strong work ethic, was pragmatic in his thoughts and acts, and constantly sought the means for self-improvement. He was willing to share his ideas and knowledge for the benefit of others, so that they could accomplish more in their lives. Joseph Charles Tombrello did his best to ensure that his family, friends, loved ones, co-workers, and everyone whose life he touched was given the chance to become a better person.