My brother, Armando “Mando” Baltazar, was born in 1950 when I was 13. At the time Mando was born, Mom and Dad had five kids, four girls and one boy (me). Pops was happy as a lark when Mando was born, and with four girls and one boy, who can blame him? One more girl was born in 1960.
I don’t know much about Mando’s childhood; he was four years old when I got married and left the house in 1954. I do know that he grew up to be a fine young man, going to school and graduating from high school (El Rancho High School, Pico Rivera) in 1969. He joined the military right out of high school. He served two tours with the 101st and 18th Airborne in Vietnam.
Mando came home from Nam in 1972, I believe it was. He soon joined the now defunct Los Angeles County Marshals Department, was with the Marshals for a few years, then the marshals were absorbed into the Los Angeles County Sheriff department, thus he became a deputy sheriff.
Mando and I became close after he returned from the service. We started going camping, motorcycle riding, and, yes, drinking a few beers now and then. He would say more than a few, I am sure.
Mando married, not sure what year. He and his wife, who will go unnamed here, had two children: a daughter, Bianca, and a son, Chris. Bianca is now a Biologist, and Chris followed in Mando’s footsteps and joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The marriage ended in divorce.
After being single for several years, Mando met Pat. After being romanced and wined and dined, Mando said yes when Pat asked him to marry her. With Pat, Mando has three great stepchildren, Eddie, Andy, and Mandy.
In later years, my wife, Connie, and I became really close to my one and only brothers, Mando and Pat. We went camping, took week-long motorcycle trips, and just had a darn good time together.
Today, Mando and Pat live in retirement in the mountain community of Wrightwood, California.
Love, kiki
Call me silly, but I tear up reading some of your entries. I think I mentioned to you that I also come from a family of 7 children. Margaret 1949, Caroline 1951, Me 1953, William 1954, Susana 1957 (Susie died in a car crash in 1971 aged 14), Genevieve 1960 and Jimmy 1961. I describe our family as dysfunctional. The others might disagree. My parents never fought in front of us but never showed and any kissing or hugging either. They didn't drink or do drugs. They worked and that's all they did. Out of all of those siblings I only have a relationship with Caroline and Genevieve and I really don't see it changing anytime soon, You are very fortunate to have had such a loving family. My Dad showed a lot of love and would always kiss us goodbye when he would go to work. The only affection I really can remember from my Mom was when I was around 4 or 5 years old. She winked and smiled at me from across the table as she and I ate Cocido for lunch. Thank you so much for allowing me into your memories.
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Sorry to hear about your sis, Susie. Pauline, all families have some problems, that the way life is. We too had our shares, but I put that in the back of my mind otherwise it would eat me up.
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