Joseph Montero Penaflor

Joseph Montero Penaflor, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully at home with loved ones nearby on November 12, 2025, at the age of 96.

Born on September 17, 1929, on the island of Oahu, Joe was the eldest of three children of Joseph G. and Marceline Penaflor. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his younger brother, Danny Penaflor of Manteca. Joe is survived by his devoted wife of 67 years, Mary Penaflor, and their children: Elena Penaflor Bermudez (Rick) and Joseph D. Penaflor (Michelle). He is also lovingly remembered by his siblings: younger sister Loretta Rodriques (Tony), half brother Ed Penaflor, and half sister Regina Hatcher, along with his sister-in-law Lenez Penaflor.

Joe is further survived by his children from a previous marriage—Arlita Olund (Jay), David Penaflor (Kyong), Dennis Penaflor (Kelly), and Lynn Churchill (Roger)—as well as numerous grandchildren: Nick Bermudez (Samantha), Julia Bermudez, Erik Olund, Carlos and Lisa, Brittany, Joshua, Katrina, Sophia, Grace, Jeffrey, and Scott. His legacy continues through his great-grandchildren: Isaiah and Samuel, Maya, Nora, Salgado, Silas, Savannah, and Jack. Joe was immensely proud of each generation and cherished the family gatherings, milestones, and joys that filled his long life.

Joe’s early years were marked by resilience and adventure. After witnessing the attack on Pearl Harbor from his family’s hillside home in 1941, Joe, Danny, and Loretta relocated to the Bay Area, where he attended Horace Mann Junior High (Class of 1944) and Balboa High School (Class of 1947). On March 17, 1948, he enlisted in the United States Navy and quickly distinguished himself. As part of an experimental training unit at the Naval Training Center in San Diego, he earned the highest mark in his class, receiving a 4.0 and being named Honor Man of Company E-102-48. Although the Navy offered him an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, he declined, choosing a path that would eventually lead him back to his family.

Joe went on to study as a Machinist’s Mate at Great Lakes, Illinois, where he also joined the football team, playing multiple positions and discovering the camaraderie and passion for sports that would follow him throughout his life. In 1948 he was assigned to the U.S.S. Piedmont, where his athletic talent flourished. In 1949 alone, he represented the ship in four sports—boxing, basketball, baseball, and football—becoming the only athlete at the time to do so. He competed in Golden Gloves, earned multiple Pacific Fleet Championship trophies, and played in the Second Annual Service Game at the Rose Bowl on October 26, 1949. Joe also discovered a love of art aboard the Piedmont, impressing even the ship’s captain with his creativity. His artistic ability soon became known when the ship’s Captain noticed a drawing Joe created of the Piedmont’s mascot, Doc, one of Snow White’s Seven Dwarfs. Impressed, the Captain asked if he could enlarge it and paint it directly onto the machine shop wall with the word “Safety” beneath it. Though Joe had never attempted such a project before, he replied, “Yes, Sir!” And completed it — a testament to his creativity and his belief that “can’t” was not in his vocabulary. He was honorably discharged on March 13, 1952, receiving both the Korean Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal.

Returning to San Francisco, Joe worked a variety of jobs before meeting the love of his life, Mary, in her family’s restaurant—a meeting sparked, fittingly, by her telling him that his cigar “stinks.” They married on November 28, 1958, beginning a remarkable partnership of nearly seven decades. Joe joined the fire service soon after and proudly served in the San Jose Fire Department for 29 years, retiring as Captain of Station 22.

In 1975, Joe and Mary moved their family to Ridgemark Golf & Country Club in Hollister, fulfilling Joe’s dream of living on a golf course. There, golf became a daily joy, shared especially with his children. His commitment to youth golf was profound: from 1978 to 2010, he served the Junior Golf Association of Northern California in many roles—team captain, marker, scholarship committee member, and, memorably, Chief Scoreboard Calligrapher. In 2011, he was inducted into the JGANC Hall of Fame for his decades of service.

Joe’s talents were abundant and largely self-taught. He was an accomplished artist who, in later years, became known for painting pet portraits—over 200 of them—never accepting payment, only wanting to brighten someone’s day. He was also a pilot, soloing in 1969 and owning a pristine 1959 Comanche airplane. He played guitar and ukulele, loved performing magic tricks for his children, and even invented practical tools, including a gas-shutoff wrench and a golf club lock.

In 2013, Joe and Mary moved to Roseville to be closer to family. In his later years, Joe continued painting, sharing stories, and keeping those around him laughing with his humor and warmth. Among all his accomplishments, nothing mattered more to him than his family—especially Mary, the love of his life, with whom he shared every joy and faced every challenge.

Joe lived a life full of devotion, adventure, creativity, and love. His strength, generosity, and playful spirit touched all who knew him. He will be laid to rest with honor at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery. He will be deeply missed and forever cherished.

“We’ve had a great life together,” he would say to Mary every morning—a sentiment that echoed throughout his 96 remarkable years.