Longtime Fairfield businessman dies, leaves legacy of service

Rudy Ramirez

FAIRFIELD — Most people knew him simply as Rudy. No last name was necessary.

Rudy Ramirez died Sunday. He was 81.

Family and friends say the longtime Fairfield resident and businessman was a man of character, as well as sincere, generous and so much a patriot that at a daughter’s wedding, after finishing a toast to the newlyweds, he asked the guests to sing “God Bless America.”

Ramirez and his wife of 60 years, Helen Ramirez, raised 15 children together. And, while space could be at a premium, the couple also opened their door to the children in the neighborhood as well their children’s pals.

Son JB Ramirez remembered a young man, Aaron Pineda, who worked for his father. The other day Pineda, who is now serving in the Navy, told JB Ramirez that Rudy Ramirez was the biggest influence on his life.

Rudy Ramirez’s brother, Richard Ramirez, said his older brother worked hard to keep the seven Ramirez brothers close.

“He finally gave up,” Richard Ramirez said with a smile.

Rudy Ramirez attended Suisun Valley School and graduated from Armijo High School. While in high school, he was a supervisor at a local fruit yard, his family said.

He owned and/or operated a handful of service stations along Texas Street. Then he expanded into the towing and auto body business.

Rudy’s Auto Body in Suisun City marks its 50th years in business this year. It is now run by sons Jon and Mike Ramirez.

While he slowed down in the past year, Rudy Ramirez still liked to chat with customers at the shop. And he still owned it.

“He’d never turn over the keys to kingdom,” son Jeff Ramirez said.

Rudy Ramirez didn’t like to waste time. Grandson Nick Ramirez recalled when his grandfather had him and other grandchildren up and working at sunrise. He wouldn’t call it a day, even as the sun began to set.

“We’d get a lot done. Some things weren’t necessary,” Nick Ramirez said.

Then his grandfather would say something along the lines of, “we didn’t get a lot done today, so we’ll work tomorrow.”

Rudy Ramirez was also known for sharing hugs and telling loved ones how important they were in his life.

“He did more than he ever had to do as a father,” said Carlos Ramirez, the youngest child.

Former Fairfield City Manager B. Gale Wilson lived on the same street as the Ramirez family. Wilson estimated he knew Ramirez for at least 50 years.

“He was a valued role model, not only to his family, but to his neighbors and whole community because of the man he was,” Wilson said. “He was a man of character and integrity in his business dealings and personal life.

“He was also a humble man who was grateful for anything given to him, but he was also fiercely independent.”

Rudy Ramirez was one of the first people Vince Guisande of Tri-City Glass met when he moved to Fairfield. Guisande was about 14 at the time.

About 25 years ago, one of the younger Ramirez sons applied for a job with Guisande.

He turned the young man down with the explanation: “I’d never hire a Ramirez because six to eight months down the road, there’ll be a new Ramirez Glass Company and I’d lose half of my customers,” Guisande said with a chuckle.

Such was the family’s entrepreneurial spirit.

Two of the Ramirez sons are in the towing business.

Rudy Ramirez also gave Guisande some valuable business advice. He told Guisande that when he was out in the community and ran into a customer, he wanted to be able to look that customer in the eye, knowing he did a good job and had made a fair profit. He also wanted the customer to look him in the eye and say they had gotten a good job at a fair price.

“What a legacy he’s leaving,” Guisande said. “His sons and daughters are business people who conduct their business with integrity, too.”

Sister Liz Curtis, principal at Holy Spirit Catholic School, remembers Ramirez for his love of singing Irish songs.

“That’s where we had the connection,” Curtis said.

Ramirez’s voice was comparable to that of John McCormack, an Irish tenor, she said.

Curtis, who is Irish, said Ramirez was always one of the first people to volunteer at school functions. All 15 children were educated at Holy Spirit.

There will be a visitation from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, with a rosary at 6 p.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. A memorial Mass will begin there at 10:30 a.m. Friday.

Reach Amy Maginnis-Honey at 427-6957 or amaginnis@dailyrepublic.net.

Short URL: http://www.dailyrepublic.com/?p=134120

Posted by Amy Maginnis-Honey on Feb 8 2012.

Filed under Fairfield, Top stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry