Tony Delmonte Rodarte

Our beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather passed away on October 20, 2023. He was 99 and 6 months young. He was born on April 20, 1924, a native Californian and a Navy Veteran serving in World War II on the USS Ingersoll in the Pacific. Throughout his long life he worked as rancher, realtor and entrepreneur in the San Joaquin Valley, and restaurant owner in Oakland, Ca. He came to live in Texas ten years ago.

Self-educated, he was a voracious reader and loved politics. He worked on numerous presidential campaigns including the campaigns of Adelaide Stevenson, John F. Kennedy and even in his late 80s, campaigned for Barack Obama. He worked alongside Cesar Chavez fighting for the civil rights of the farm laborer and worked to help migrants gain legal status during Regan’s Amnesty program. Tony and his wife were foster parents for several homeless boys and many persons have attested that his counseling and intervention changed the course of their lives for the better. In the 1940’s he was president of the Club Gaona and member of the Knights of Columbus. He loved music, especially jazz, studied ballroom and salsa dancing and loved gathering with his family and friends. His friendly character, his wit and insatiable humor made him unforgettable to anyone who met him.

Tony was preceded in death by his wife, Ophelia Rodarte, his parents, Rita and Ernest Gray, his daughter, Cynthia Duran, his sister, June Bosquez, his brother, Jess Rodarte, his granddaughter, Gina Rodarte and grandson, Graciano Rivera. He is survived by his daughters, Gloria Vanderbilt, Diana Rivera (Jose Rivera), Evelyn Beltran, Delia Rodarte , Ayme Rodarte, grandchildren Danette Webb, Ruben Flores Rios II, Tizoc Rivera, Semilla Rivera, Maizal Rivera, Nazul Rivera, Christina Beltran, Leah Salinas-Preciado, Tony Duran, Lilly McCormick, Ismael Garcia-Rodarte, Aurora Vargas and 14 great grandchildren. He was loved and will be sorely missed.

GRAVESIDE SERVICEWITH MILITARY HONORSMONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2023 10:30 A.M.FORT SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY