Ramon Zaragosa Mira

It is with great sadness that the family of Ramon Zaragosa Mira announce his passing on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, in Orosi, California, at the age of 82. He was surrounded by his three children. Ramon was born on January 16, 1940, in Masbate, Philippines to Maximino and Iluminada Mira. He was one of twelve children. He is survived by his three kids, Ronaldo, Marjorie, and Ethel; his two grandchildren, Romnik and Ryan; his younger sister Angelina Mira; his youngest brother Raphael Mira; and by numerous nieces and nephews. Ramon was a widow, having lost his wife of 48 years to cancer two years earlier. Being one of twelve children, Ramon was instilled with a strong work ethic from an early age. He put himself through college by working multiple jobs to ensure he was able to complete his education in mechanical engineering. Ramon worked for the Cebu Shipyard after graduation. In the late 1960s, he met the love of his life, Virgie. Their marriage lasted until her death in 2020. During their marriage, both maintained their respective careers, Ramon an engineer and Virgie a nurse, while managing multiple plantations together. In the early 1970s, Ramon and Virgie expanded their family. Their three children were soon to follow. In the 1980s, Ramon and Virgie made the difficult decision to leave their comfortable lifestyle in the Philippines in pursuit of better opportunities for their children. Ramon and Virgie moved to the US, first to Texas and later to California. Ramon and Virgie faced many hardships in transitioning from their homeland, but it was especially difficult for Ramon, as he had to give up his engineering career to ensure his family had sufficient needs. Ramon worked various jobs to make ends meet. He worked for Exide, Anheuser-Busch, and even back breaking fieldwork for a time. Ramon was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and suffered a car accident due to low blood sugar that forced him to early retirement. It was during this time that Ramon reignited his love for farming/gardening. He possessed a green thumb that allowed him to grow almost anything. His backyard soon became the envy of his Filipino friends and neighbors, as he was able to grow elusive Filipino fruits and veggies. Post retirement, Ramon assumed a bigger role with caring for his children, shuttling them from various school events and extracurricular activities, which fostered a closer relationship with them. Aside for his love of gardening, Ramon loved rooting for his 49ers, the occasional trips to the casino with his wife, caring for the various family pets (from peacocks to rabbits to dogs and cats), home renovation projects with his two daughters, cooking, and traveling - within the state, across the country, and globally. He especially enjoyed his "epic" trip to Australia and New Zealand with his youngest daughter, Ethel, which lasted over a month. Ramon possessed an adventurous spirit, but his trip to Australia and New Zealand pushed him beyond his comfort zone. He soon found himself hiking on glaciers, scaling cliffs, horseback riding, riding in Shotover Jets, helicopter rides, participating in haka dances, and sleeping inside a volcanic crater at the age of 67! Though he tested his limits, he found immense joy in the experiences and often spoke about it with great fondness. In the fall of 2019, Ramon faced a life altering event. The love of his life was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Ramon watched his wife bravely fight her battle, living the ups and downs that cancer brings on. Ramon was devastated by her loss in June 2020 which precipitated a decline in his health (emotionally, physically, and mentally). The death of his soulmate, triggered various health problems, starting with his kidneys and later with an aggressive form of dementia, a disease which causes a loss of cognitive function, and currently has no cure. Despite all odds, this prognosis renewed Ramon's relationship with his family, who rallied together, along with his hospice care team, to ensure his final days were filled with love, comfort, and peace. He often participated in virtual calls with his various nieces, which resulted in the impromptu virtual karaoke, cooking collaborations, and the occasional serenade from his 6-year-old great grandniece. Both Ramon and Virgie were kind and caring individuals to everyone around them. They never shied away from showing their love and support for their family, especially in showing their three kids how proud they were of them, and that held true to the very end. Dementia robbed Ramon of speech in the final days, but he still clearly conveyed his love to those around him (physically or virtually) none-the-less. The funeral service details for Ramon are as follows: Viewing: Tuesday, January 3rd at 4PM at Salser & Dillard Funeral Chapel in Visalia Rosary: Tuesday, January 3rd at 5PM at Salser & Dillard Funeral Chapel in Visalia Funeral: Wednesday, January 4th at 10AM at Saint Catherine's Catholic Church in Dinuba Graveside service: Wednesday, January 4th at 11:30AM at Smith Mountain Cemetery in Dinuba All attendees are strongly encouraged to wear a face mask to the events. The family will be providing N95 face masks and hand sanitizers. Due to Covid-19 and ensuring the safety of Ramon's family and friends, the family will not be hosting a reception, but they hope to have a Celebration of Life for both Ramon and Virgie later. For those who are unable to attend, the Rosary will be live streamed at www.salseranddillard.com . For additional information on the venues, please refer to the Salser & Dillard website. Services have been entrusted to Salser & Dillard Funeral Chapel. Memorial Tributes and condolences may be offered by logging onto www.salseranddillard.com.

Ramon Zaragosa Mira

January 16, 1940 - December 14, 2022