Tributes

John Balderrama October 28,1938-October 1, 2024 "Never Say Can't Do, Instead Say Will Do" Thank you for coming to pay tribute to my Father John Balderrama. John was born in San Antonio on October 28,1938, towards the end of the Great Depression. He was the second oldest son of our late grandmother Amelia Perez. He is preceded in death by his wife Dolores; daughter Jessica; son Rey Rendon and his brother Andy. He is survived by his children: Ruben, John Junior, John Rudy, Tony and son David and many grandchildren. He also leaves behind his brothers Roy, Billy, Rey and Richard and sister Elva. To understand my father, you have to know what experiences he endured. Some of you may remember my father as difficult and extremely stubborn, everything to him was as easy as black and white, nothing was in-between. He also had a great sense of humor and inherited the wittiness of my grandmother. My father was a hard worker, as a child he helped our grandmother raise his brothers and sister. He worked picking up cardboard, bottles, anything that was tangible to seIl. Whatever he earned he turned it over to his mother, never keeping any money for himself. He was very tenacious in keeping with his goal, whatever he set his mind on, he would accomplish. He also was the driver and the planner of journeys to the north to pick strawberries, cherries, potatoes, and sugar beets as part of the bracero program. In third grade he dropped out of school in order to help my grandmother. Around the age of 13 he worked in a store slicing, cutting and cleaning the equipment used for grinding and cutting meat. An unfortunate accident happened, while he was cleaning the equipment he sliced off four of his fingers on his right hand. While he was recuperating, he taught himself to overcome his disability. One time I asked him; how did you manage to continue working? His response was "at that time we all did what we had to do". Although he never served in the military, he brought back memories of the 2nd WW veterans who were lucky to come home. The men and women who served during that period of time, are remembered as our “Greatest Generation". To our family he was a part of that generation. Mr. And Mrs. George and Ramona (Raymond) Medrano took a liking to John because of his tenacity. He taught John all that he knew about working at the cleaners. John worked for the Medrano family for many years until he decided to open his own cleaners at the age of 21. He worked hard and devoted many long hours in making and building his cliental. He is the epitome and the spirit of, "Never say can't do, instead, "say will do". Although the "Midway Cleaners" is now closed, my father would go there at night and sit, looking at his once thriving enterprise. He bought a building that he and son, John Rudy restored. With the help of his son, they bought property and the ranch in Floresville, at one time he owned several horses and cattle. He was a tenacious, hardworking, and stubborn man, although he did have several of his greatest attributes, which were being a caring, loving, protective father and brother and most of all his loyalty. We dedicate this song in honor of our beloved father, John Balderrama "I did it my way" by Frank Sinatra.”

Tributes

John P. Balderrama

October 28, 1938 - October 1, 2024