Roberto M. San Juan, Sr.
1938-2025
It is with a heavy heart that our family announces the passing of our father, Roberto Macolor San Juan, Sr. He
died peacefully at home in Bakersfield, California on August 2, 2025, at the age of 87, from kidney disease.
Born in Manila, Philippines on January 5, 1938 to Toribio and Francisca San Juan, he immigrated to the US with
our mom in February 1991. He is survived by the love of his life, Gracia Bañares San Juan, their 7 children [and
their spouses]: Christian [Malou], Jose [Jane], Abner [Mari], Grace {Freddie}, Nancy [Romy], Roberto Jr
{Nene/Joy/Marifel}, and Jane [James]; 21 grandchildren [and their spouses]: Kay [Zain], Chad {Kristy}, Julia, Justin
[Tiffany], Maggie, Kat [Luis], JJ, {Patring}, Ella, Kitty [Ronjay], Dean [Ibeth], Sheng [Israel], Russ, Chellie [Waylon],
Kelvin, Simon [Grace], Sam, Chicklet [Evan], Jlo, Clark, JM; and 14 great-grandchildren: Zahra, Isla, Zander, Luca,
Migs, Andi, Noah, Deanne, Dion, Summer, Charlene, Frankie, LB, and HJ.
Number 7 of the 8 kids, Dad came from a simple yet illustrious family where politics and royalty ran deep. His
father was one of the men who assembled the very first Congress in the Philippines after the Americans left post
World War 2. His father almost became the first Speaker of the House. His mother was a tribal princess in Palawan.
A celebrity in his own right, Dad was famously known as "Kuya Robert", a beloved Sunday morning radio DJ who
served the Filipino community and filled the airwaves of Delano and Kern County with OPM ballads and love
songs for 8 years. The radio station was co-owned by his eldest son. He sat on the Board of Directors of the
Delano Lions Club, and was the Grand Marshal for the Delano's 45th annual Philippine Weekend parade in 2019.
An industrious man, he relished the fact that he had worked in both the "hottest and coldest places on Earth":
Saudi Arabia and Alaska. No job was too odd or too hard for Dad in order to provide for us. He was proud of all the
work he had done. He was an assistant manager at a grocery store owned by his godfather, Mr. Mathay in Quezon
city. He was an external auditor for the Philippine Social Security System; ran a chicken coop business in Manila;
ran our family retail store and delivered eggs to small businesses in our neighborhood in Cavite; went abroad to
work for the Greyhound Aramco in Saudi Arabia for 6 years.
Always pleasant and cheery, he enjoyed working in grape fields in the dead heat of the California summer, and in
fish canneries during Alaska's winter. He attended the Delano Adult School and graduated from Certified Nursing
Assistant program. After briefly working at Floyd's hardware store, he started working in different departments at
the North Kern State Prison beginning 1997. He was eventually assigned to the correctional mailroom in 2002 as a
mail processor, reader and correspondent where he was subject to naked pictures of ladies meant for the
inmates. He certainly had fun with that job perk! He was recognized as an Employee of the Month in February
2003. In 2008, he was transferred as a dental office receptionist at the Kern Valley State Prison and ultimately
retired in 2012.
Our dad will always be remembered for his deep love, affection and daily serenades to mom; his complimentary
and jovial nature; his love of drinking warm milk at night; his raucous laughter and making of funny sound effects;
his positive disposition and profound faith in God. He was deeply involved with the church, political activities and
community service, and he cherished camaraderie with his friends. He loved debating about politics and religion,
studied pre-law in college and won Best Debates on parliamentary practices at the Far Eastern University. He
loved being "famous" and had made our family name respected and looked-up to in the community. He would get
lost in his writing with his clak-y old typewriter and had an unpublished sci-fi epic novel about green-blooded
extra terrestrials who found God on Earth. Our dad was crazy in love with our mom from the day he laid eyes on
her and married her 4 times.
He lived well, served well, and loved well. You made us all proud, Daddy. Rest easy.
The viewing will be held on August 22nd, 2025 from 11am to 5pm, with a Holy Mass at noon, at Boyko & Reardon
Telegraph Road Mortuary & Cremation, located at 15 Teloma Drive, Ventura, CA 93003. The Celebration of Life will
be on August 23rd in Bakersfield.