ALFREDO JOSEPH DELGADO

A funeral liturgy for Alfredo Joseph “Joe” Delgado, 77, will be held at 12:00 P.M. (noon) on Monday, July 19, 2021 at Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church in Guernsey, Wyoming, with Father Ray Moss as the Celebrant. A vigil for the deceased will be held at 11:30 A.M. on Monday, July 19, 2021 at Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church. Interment will be in the Prairie Rest Cemetery near Guernsey.

Joe Delgado passed away on Sunday, July 11, 2021 at Memorial Hospital Central in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Joe Delgado, of Colorado Springs and Guernsey, was born on Wednesday, April 19, 1944, to Joseph and Tomasa (Reyes) Delgado in Sunrise, Wyoming.

He attended Sunrise Public Schools and was in the 1964, first graduating class of consolidated Guernsey-Sunrise High School. Joe served in the United States Army in 1967 to 1969, including as a decorated Vietnam combat veteran. He married Dorothea Elizabeth Kuhlmann on May 16, 1969, in Kansas City, Missouri. They moved to Denver, Colorado in 1970, and Joe began his career at Robinson Brick and Tile, retiring from their Colorado Springs plant as a General Foreman in 2006.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Maria; and parents-in-law, Arnold and Donna Kuhlmann.

Joe leaves to celebrate his life and mourn his passing, his wife, Dorothea of 52 years; daughters, Kimberly DeHoff and Kristin Delgado; son, Alfredo Joseph Jr. (Danielle) all of Colorado Springs; daughter, Rachel Delgado of Englewood, Colorado; grandsons, Ryan (Greg Keighin), Dylan (Jason Lechman), and Rivers (Nicholas Baranek); granddaughters, Lindsay (Frank DeHoff), Katie (Greg Keighin), and Veronica (Phil Dezellum); great-granddaughter Olivia (Isaiah Romero); brothers, Eddie (Geraldine) of Guernsey, Tony (Kristy) of Casper, Wyoming, and Pete (Denise) of Wheatland; sisters, Jenny Gomez of Aurora, Colorado, Barbara Winegeart (Steve), and Melissa Clark (Kelly) of Cheyenne, Sylvia Hull (Paul), and Dawndrea Daly (Darrell) of Guernsey; and three sisters-in-law, two brothers-in-law, and their families.

Memorial contributions can be made to either Guernsey VFW, or to Sunrise YMCA Restoration, c/o SHAPPS, 5196 CR 72, Torrington, Wyoming 82240 would be appreciated by the family.

The Gorman Funeral Homes – Platte Chapel of Wheatland are in charge of the arrangements.

Eulogy for Alfredo Joseph Delgado, Sr.

Joe Delgado. Not “Big Joe.” That is his father. Not “Little Joe,” that is his son. The man we remember, iand honor here today, was just an “Ordinary Joe.”

Alfredo Joseph Delgado--the oldest son of the awesome Delgado family of Sunrise.

Were you to knock on the door of their house, which was up the hill from the school, and ask for Joe, you might have been welcomed into the tidy household by Mrs. Tomasa Delgado. There was oldest sister Maria, who could not only rapidly make perfectly round tortillas, but could also change tires if needed; Jenny, the good dancer, and Barbara, known as “Shorty,” whose shiny black hair was nearly as long as she was tall. Eddie and Tony you would know because everyone knew Eddie and Tony; they introduced themselves to our younger brother Bill right away when the Kuhlmann family moved to Sunrise in summer of 1964. (These days you all know Eddie as having been mayor of Guernsey for eight years; he is currently a city council member.) Then there was cherub-faced Sylvia; and Pete, who was 12 years younger than Joe and was always his little buddy. In later years, Mr. and Mrs. Delgado would add to their family by adopting their granddaughters Dawndrea and Missy. But if you wanted, in those days, to actually find ordinary Joe, you would have to go down the driveway to the back of the house, where you would see Joe and his dad’s feet sticking out from under a car. (Disappointment would come later, when cars became controlled by electronics, and they could not tinker with them and keep them running forever.) Later today, Joe and his father, Big Joe, will forever be by each other’s side at Prairie Rest.

Joe was born on April 19, 1944, in Sunrise, Wyoming. He attended Sunrise schools, then became a member of the first graduating class of consolidated Guernsey-Sunrise High School, -- the class of 1964. Joe lettered in every sport offered during his days in school. The Guernsey Gazette sports page referred to him as the “fleet footed Joe Delgado” when describing his football prowess.

In 1967, Joe was drafted into the U.S. Army Infantry. He served in combat in Vietnam, mustering out as an E-5 sergeant. Joe was haunted to his dying day by the ghosts of Vietnam. A healing moment in his life came later when, in 1996, he flew with his wife and children to Washington, D.C., where the family visited the Vietnam Wall and Memorial. Despite the dreadfulness of the Vietnam war, Joe was very proud of his military service to his country, and he flew the American Flag and the MIA-POW flag outside his home in Colorado Springs at all times. During his time in Vietnam, Joe leaned on Christ and solidified faith in God through Christ Jesus as his foundation for life. Joe was not religious, but he was spiritual.

On May 16, 1969, when discharged from the army, Joe traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, where he married his long- time sweetheart Dorothea Kuhlmann, who was working on her teaching degree at University of Missouri-Kansas City. During her semester break, on New Year’s Day, 1970, the couple celebrated a new decade’s arrival by the birth of Kimberly Joy. In 1972, the three moved to Denver, where Joe began his career at Robinson Brick and Tile. While living in Kansas City, Joe developed an enthusiasm for a football team: From the Kansas City Chiefs’ first championship in Super Bowl IV in 1969, until 50 years later when they won Super Bowl LIV, Joe stood by his team. He raised a family of Chief Kingdom fans, and he, good natured as always, fended off the teasing of his Bronco-fan co-workers during the years of drought.

On Easter Sunday of 1975—March 30th—Joe and Dodi welcomed another holiday baby: Rachel Elizabeth, who became an ardent “pal” to her “Pops” from the moment they laid eyes on each other. Alfredo Joseph, Jr. , “Little Joe,” was born on September 27, 1981. Kristin Nicole, called “Kit,” entered the world on January 26, 1983.

Joe stayed busy with his job and family. He coached and refereed his children’s teams in soccer, basketball, and softball; he enthusiastically drove them to and enjoyed their gymnastics, synchronized swimming, volley-ball, football, roller derby, and on and on, as well as church and school activities. He took the family on long road trips: Disneyland, Circus Circus in Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, the Ozarks, Florida’s Epcot Center, and Baja Mexico to name a few. The family enjoyed camping out and seeing the sights.

Like his namesake son, he enjoyed vintage vehicles. As a young man, Joe had owned a ’55 turquoise Ford, then a ’58 black and red Ford. The 76-year-old black Ford pickup parked outside the church today was a gift passed down to Joe from his father. Big Joe had purchased it from his long-time neighbor, Jack Porras, who had bought it new in 1945 for $850. After today, the truck will go back home to Colorado Springs. Having made the visit to its first home here in Platte County, Wyoming, and back in Colorado Springs, it will have its third owner, since Joe passed the pickup on to his son.

Once the household became more financially comfortable, Joe gave himself the luxury of a road trip each football season to Kansas City to see in-laws, yes, but also to see the Chiefs, taking along whichever of his family wanted to go. And when Kit, aka Kamilla Bloodspilla, became involved in flat track women’s roller derby, Joe echoed that enthusiasm by each season purchasing a pass that provided him a track-side box at the City Arena in downtown Colorado Springs. If you were visiting from out of town and showed sufficient interest, he would invite you to come and enjoy Roller Derby from one of his five seats in the Delgado Box where he held court for each event.

In his 34-year career with Robinson Brick, Joe worked his way up to General Foreman at the brick plant and transferred to Colorado Springs when the company started a new plant there. The fact that Joe was bilingual in English and Spanish helped him move up the career ladder. In 2006, at the age of 62 and with failing health, Joe retired and became a full-time grandpa. He now provided transportation and care for a new generation: his six grandchildren and his great granddaughter. The family could always find him in the yard or in the kitchen, and his rock-solid presence will be sorely missed.

So, we see that yes, Alfredo Joseph Delgado, Sr. was an ordinary Joe. He was humble and grounded. He was content with his lot in life and was satisfied with simple things and with having enough. His sharp wit and sense of humor brought laughter to all who knew him. He had faith in Jesus. He loved, as the song goes, “little baby ducks, old pickup trucks, slow moving trains and rain”. He loved drinking coffee, reading the newspaper, and watching Gunsmoke reruns and sports on television. He loved country roads, and cowboys; and he cherished friends, children, and pets (including his shar-pei who is aptly named Chief). He loved to dance to old time rock and roll.

He was ordinary, but on the other hand, he was extraordinary, a man who was filled with wonder at the world’s bounty each day, and who was himself wonder-ful. He had a kind and reassuring spirit that made any space he was in beautiful. He was someone to be admired and loved, but someone who could not be moved from his core beliefs. When you were with him, you felt good inside. He had class.

On Saturday, July 10, 2021, his last full day of earthly life, Joe cheerfully went about his usual daily activities. When his wife walked by, he gave her a teasing-but-loving pat. When his daughter-in-law Danielle brought over a dish, he remarked how delicious it was. He spoke to, or spoke the name of, each of his children and grandchildren, either on the phone with them or in conversation about them: Kim, Rachel, Joe, Kit, Lindsay, Ryan, Dylan, Katie, Rivers, Veronica, Olivia. He made phone calls, as always, to friends and relatives.

For 52 years, Joe shared birthday phone calls and friendship, and handed out well-received teasing to his wife’s brothers and sisters: Hank, Ann, Bill, Kristin, and me, Kay. We cherish him for who he was, and for the love and good life he provided our sister.

Alfredo Joseph Delgado, Sr. died, with dignity, on the morning on July 11, 2021, at the age of 77. His adoring wife was at his side. Rest in peace, Extraordinary Joe.

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