Final Salute

Joaquin “Babe” Herrero
Aug. 3, 1922 – Jan. 9, 2019

Joaquin “Babe” Herrero age 96, passed away on January 9th, 2019 which coincidentally would have been his parent’s 103 wedding anniversary. He was born August 3, 1922, in San Francisco California moving to Sunnyvale in 1925 and has been a resident ever since.

He graduated from Fremont High School in Sunnyvale California and San Mateo Junior College before joining the Navy. He obtained his bachelor’s degree at San Jose State College and received his Master’s Degree from Stanford University. At Fremont, he was on the track team, basketball team and was a standout in baseball being part of the 1939 S.C.V.A.L. championship team. He played on many semi-pro teams including garnering a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox all the while remaining a New York Yankee fan. He also played fast pitch softball where he won the Most Valuable Player award and was a member of the State All-Star Team culminating with his induction into the Santa Clara County Fast Pitch Softball Hall Of Fame.

He met his wife Albina Gloria Pena while stationed in Rhode Island via a Navy buddy who had a girlfriend in Massachusetts. They married May 18, 1946, in Massachusetts after he was honorably discharged from the Navy Seabees. He served during WWII as a Navy Seabee both in the Philippines and in North Africa.

He began his teaching career in 1957 at Fremont High School moving to a full-time job at Cuyama Valley High School in New Cuyama, California. He returned home to become part of the original teaching staff at the newly opened Cupertino High School
in Cupertino California. He taught business classes being a pioneer of a new teaching technique called “Team Teaching”. While at Cupertino High he also coached basketball and varsity baseball being named coach of the year. In the fall of 1962, a new school
was added to the F.U.H.S.D., Homestead High School located in Cupertino California and he became one of the inaugural members of their new teaching staff. Besides teaching, he was a student counselor. While at Homestead he was the President of the
Faculty Club and in 1965 the school yearbook was dedicated to him. He then moved on to Foothill Community College in Los Altos as a counselor and Assistant Director Of Activities bringing popular 1960’s entertainers to the campus such as Al Hirt and Petula
Clark. The next stop was another new school, this time De Anza Community College back in Cupertino. He had the same responsibilities at De Anza and added mentoring the Student Council. In 1969 another community college opened and off he went to Skyline Community College where he was again advisor to the Student Council, a student counselor and retiring in 1988 as Dean Of Men wearing a coat and tie until his last day. He was also honored by being enshrined in Skyline’s Hall Of Fame.

He was a past member of the Sunnyvale Social Athletic Club, Elks Club, Kiwanis Club and founding member of the Cupertino Mens Club providing many community services during this time. He was famous for combing California with his buddy Dave Pitman
going as far as Las Vegas to obtain gift donations to auction off during both the Kiwanis and Cupertino Mens Club fundraising barbeques, always leaving the donors with vegetables from his yearly garden. He gave away most of what the backyard garden produced but he enjoyed the process.

He had a long time association with the Forty Niner’s as a supervisor of ushers and overseeing the operation of the parking lot at the old Candlestick Park. Because of this, he was able to travel to many away games on the team plane. He was also treated by the Forty Niner’s with a trip to Miami Florida to attend Superbowl XXIX where the Niner’s defeated the Chargers becoming the first team to win five Super Bowl championships. This included an invitation to the Forty Niner’s after game victory celebration.

He looked forward to playing golf at least twice a week with his brother Ralph until he passed away in 2009. He never missed a “cousins golf match” that always preceded the family chorizo making and stuffing that was used at the annual family picnic for
breakfast and for the yearly family Thanksgiving stuffing. The recipe was passed along by family members from the days when it was sold at Herrero’s Market in Mountain View California. The recipe originally came from Spain where both his Mother and
Father were born.

He also enjoyed planning and organizing several trips to Europe with his brother Ralph, sisters Elisa and Leticia and various combinations of the cousins acting as driver, tour guide and translator while his brother Ralph took on the responsibility as navigatorand earned the title “Scout”.

He could be characterized by many positive adjectives. But if you asked a group of people who knew him I believe the one that would be most frequently used would be “generous”. As an example, he had a cabin in Tahoe Donner for many years. It was
open to one and all, all you had to do was ask. When the cabin was sold he chartered a bus for the whole family to take a road trip to Reno putting everyone up at the Hampton Hotel and giving each of the Cousins $100.

He is survived by his only child Robert. In addition to his parents Rafael and Encarnacion (Butelo), he was preceded in death by his wife “Bea”, his brother Ralph, sisters Elisa, Leticia, and Lenore.

The viewing will take place at Lima & Campagna Sunnyvale Mortuary located at 1315 Hollenbeck Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94087. Their phone number is, (408) 736-1315. The date and time of the viewing will be Saturday, January 26th between 11 am and 12 pm.
The memorial service is the same date as the viewing but at 1 pm and will take place at The Gates Of Heaven Cemetery located at 22555 Cristo Rey Drive Los Altos, CA
94024. Their phone number is (833)-304-0763.