Tony (Anthony) Estrada:
CLASS OF 1976
Mountain View High SchoolClass of 1976
El monte, CA
Tony (Anthony)'s Story
Hello everyone, you might have remembered me as a shy skinny kid back in High School (HS), who was more of a nerd, than a jock, or playboy. Man, did things change over the years. I am now bald (shaved the rest), fat, ugly, and no longer shy. I never kept up with my little group of buddies much after HS ended. I was laid back then and now; and consider myself more of a loner that really doesn't like attention or drama. I got along with everyone in HS and played a few sports (Fros/Soph basketball and Junior Varsity track), and played trumpet in the band my Freshman year.
I did have a huge crush on a girl named Lina Salcido my senior year and even asked her to be my graduation partner. Wow, I was so shy back then I probably turned beet red. Of course I got rejected (I feared rejection back then big time), but she did hook me up with Liz Hernandez for the graduation walk.
I had a 1971 Blue Chevy Nova with rims that I drove one block from home to school. I earned the money to buy my car working at Tastee Freeze on Durfee, located one block from my house. I grew up on Durfee Avenue
- between Poinsettia and Magnolia Avenues - at my cousin's Rabbit Company called "Lucky Rabbit" which was located directly across the street from the old "Church in the Barn" and the "Donut/Restaurant" which had the large rooster on top.
My mother, brother Benny, and I, lived in a small 388 square foot house right next door to our cousins house. That house had only one bedroom, no bathtub, no working bathroom sink and no kitchen area to sit in. The small house was demolished around 7 years ago and the Rabbit company property/house was converted into a Chinese auto sales lot.
I love the laid back lifestyle and maybe I was more suited to living in Hawaii. Art Silva, Tom Vasquez, Sergio Macias, Mark Gomez, and Richard Meza, were some of my great friends but I lost track of them back in the late 70's. Actually, Richard (Michael as known to his family) was my best friend. His two older sisters had married my two half-brothers way back in the late 1950's). We haven't seen each other in the last 15 years. Richard went on to become an elementary school teacher and administrator. Mark became a Calvary Chapel Pastor in Lakewood and I believe he is now a Calvary Chapel pastor in the state of Utah.
I am very thankful to God I didn't get involved with gangs, crime, drugs, alcohol, or knocking anyone up, like happened with some guys from HS. Oh, I did once take a puff of weed at age 19 (ok you can laugh now lol). Having my older brother act as a father figure, warning about the dangers of gangs and drugs, helped in steering us toward the right direction with school and the work ethic.
After HS, I went to Rio Hondo College and got my A.A. in General Education. I had planned to transfer to a 4-year university, but those plans changed quickly. While going to Rio Hondo, I worked as a Recreation Leader for the cities of El Monte and South El Monte. I really took my time at Rio Hondo, since I took night classes there while still in the 10th and 11th grades. I was surprised I was getting grades good enough to keep up with people 2 to 3 times my age back then.
After I graduated from Rio Hondo in 1979, I applied with the City of El Monte as an Area Inspector Trainee, under the old CETA program that helped low income people get training and jobs. Not more than one week after grauating from Rio, I was hired by the City at age 20 and began my career in the Code Enforcement profession that lasted almost 30 years. I stayed with El Monte working under the Fire and Police departments from 1979-82.
I went to work for the City of Lakewood as a Community Conservation Representative (fancier title for Code Enforcement Officer) from 1982-1988 and worked in a great and well-kept community.
I was hired by the City of San Gabriel as their first full-time Code Enforcement Officer from 1988-90, and got to go back to the city I was raised in the first 7 years of my life. I still have family there to this day.
I became the City of Fontana's first Code Enforcement Manager from 1990-93, however, was laid-off due to severe city budget problems - about 100 employees were laid-off that fiscal year.
I went back to the City of El Monte as a Code Inspector for only one year 1994-95 (things only changed a little from working there 12 years earlier and I got to meet people I had grown up and went to school with).
I also worked part-time for the City of Covina, as a Code Enforcement Officer from 1994-95 (Yes, I was very tired working those long days at both jobs - El Monte too - evenings and weekends, travelling on the Metrolink train from my home in Rialto, putting in up to 65 hours a week).
I became the City of Monterey Park's first Code Enforcement Manager, from 1995 to 2004 (had a city car accident and resigned) and enjoyed my time there doing administrative work and overseeing staff.
I was hired by JAS Pacific in Ontario, as a contract employee to work for the County of Los Angeles' Building and Safety Division as a Building Rehabilitation Inspector (Nuisance Abatment Team Coordinator) handling the most serious substandard building and property nuisance/maintenance violations in the County areas of Compton, Florence-Firestone, Willowbrook, East LA, La Puente, Whittier, Rowland/Hacienda Heights, from 2004 to 2006.
My last full time salaried job was with the City of Hesperia, as their first Code Enforcement Manager, and also over saw their Animal Control/Shelter Program, from April 2006 to October 2007. I was laid-off again due to the poor economy and changes in divisional operations.
I was unemployed from October 2007 to June 2011 and surviving mainly on UI benefits (Unemployment) and performing odd jobs here and there. It has been difficult getting back into the municipal government field since the economic crisis began during the latter part of 2007; the time I was laid-off. Private sector jobs are hard to come by since everyone wants specific experience and background in that particular field. Having been a white collared desk jockey in the Public sector (Government) for the latter part of my career, my skills and experience, are not as easily transferable into the Private sector job market.
In May of 2011, I began advertising myself on Craigslist as a Courier and Moving Service and began delivering caskets to funeral homes and mortuaries in the Southern California area as an independent Courier. At the beginning of 2012, I started selling caskets and urns by networking and through word-of-mouth with family and friends. My prices are close to wholesale and hundreds to thousands less than what funeral homes, mortuaries, and other casket retailers sell them for. Metal caskets start at only $749, which includes tax and free local delivery. The warehouse/showroom is located in the City of Industry. My casket business can be found on Facebook under ang...Expand for more
eles caskets . A picture of my business card is in my photo album in here. (I became a Regional Sales Manager for Wayland Caskets in El Monte in 2015-2018, selling caskets to funeral homes throughout Southern California).
I was approached in April 2012 by the producers of a new reality TV Cable show on A&E called "Barter Kings" that will air 12 shows this coming summer of 2012, about bartering two caskets for other items from barterers. They saw my casket sales ad on Craigslist and have someone interested in trading for the caskets.
I met my wife Alma (Julie) at a church single's meeting at Calvary Chapel West Covina (pastor Raul Ries) in 1982 and 5 months later, we got married on August 7, 1982 in La Puente at her house in Valinda/La Puente. Julie came to the US from Mexico at age 9 with her Mother and one sister and two brothers and also grew up in El Monte's Hicks Camp area. She graduated from Rosemead High School in 1968 and received her A.A. degree in Business Administration from Rio Hondo College. We lived in Baldwin Park at my townhouse on Big Dalton Avenue for a few years after we married; then we lived at her house on Vidalia Avenue in Valinda/La Puente for a few years; and we ended up buying a brand new house on Cheshire Street in Rialto in 1988. We lived in Rialto until July of 2009, but lost it through foreclosure. Rialto back then was rural in the northern parts of the city, and by the time we left, a new freeway had been built, along with new shopping centers and more homes.
We adopted my 6-year old daughter named Dannette in 1985 (she's going to be 35 in Decemeber), from Los Angeles County Children's Services Adoptions. She is now the proud mother of one son, Anthony, age 17, and three daughters, Ashley-15, Mary Jane-9, and Destinee-7. She currently resides in Hesperia about 70 miles from me. Unfortunately, Dannette ended up having a substance abuse problem but is in recovery and has been cleaned for over 7 years. My oldest granddaughter Ashley, is a very bright and intelligent girl, who at the age of 11, was taking college preparatory classes, while only in the 6th grade. Her son Anthony (yes named after me), is a Gate student. The girls were unfortunately adopted out officially in 2011 after being with the same foster family since 2009. They are well-taken care of and still live in Rialto.
Since losing my house in July of 2009, I came to live with my older brother in West Covina at his rear yard guest quarters (shed). My wife did not come to live with me in the beginning since there was no room. We lived separately (not legally only due to the space issue) and she lived inside our Ford conversion van at my brothers fiancé's house driveway. My brother Louis Simental had a stroke and passed away in December of 2009, leaving me in charge of the rental property. His older female roommate, her older son, and two grandsons lived in the front house, while I enjoyed living in the rear yard shed. It was like a mini apartment - 10' x 12' large shed you see at Home Depot or Lowes. I had everything I needed to survive; a somewhat simple but comfortable lifestyle, which included a fridge, microwave, tv, computer, bed, etc.
In April of 2013, my wife of 30 years, Alma, was diagnosed with stage 4 Lymphoma. She had a tumor mass located in the lower spine area, which affected her ability to walk and sit without pain. In September 2013, she had undergone 3 chemo treatments. We were staying at LAC-USC Hospital until she was released to a skilled nursing facility. I hadn't been back to the shed in 6 months, since living in motels near Alma and in the hospital. She experienced some setbacks and unfortunately, passed away on October 5, 2013 at my daughters house in Hesperia (hospice care).
In March 2014, after living the past 4 1/2 years in either a converted shed (hospital and motel while Alma was hospitalized), and the past 5 months in my pickup truck, I was fortunate to obtain housing assistance through the State Department of Health Services(chronic health issues and homelessness) and now reside in a studio apartment in downtown LA. I've now been here 8 months and am happy to say I have a place to call home. It was furnished with brand new furniture and with free utilities and the rent is only $66 a month. Transportation on buses, subway, and the rails is only $20 on my monthly Tap card. Whether I become employed with a fulltime paying job, and live a lifestyle I once had, is all in God's hands.
Updated 7/30/21 - I haven't posted anything in 7 years but life has taken a turn for the best. I remarried in April 2018; working full-time for a large firm who contracts with cities doing code enforcement again; and in my best health in many years. Vicky has been a blessing and been in the corrugated industry for 40 years. She looks younger than her age and loves the Lord too. The picture of me in the casket was only to demonstrate a new device that lifts bodies and places them in caskets. You thought I had died?
Life has been difficult at times but I remain strong because of my faith in Jesus. Yes, I am a born-again Christian since the age of 19 and I'm still learning and growing in the faith. It's when going through hard times like I have, is when you really learned to put your hope, trust, and faith in God. I am not sad or depressed but I am grateful to God for everything that I do have. There are 4 basic things that everyone should learned to appreciate and not take for granted in life.
1. Put GOD/JESUS first in your life and watch as you see him perform on your behalf, no matter the situations or circumstances.
2. Being thankful for having a ROOF over your head.
3. Having FOOD in your tummy.
4. Having your HEALTH to help others and to do God's will in your life.
My great love and passion for Bible Prophecy and Eschatology (study of last things) is without question. I truly believe that we are living in the "last days" or "end times" here on earth, as we know it, and the soon return of Jesus will occur in our life time. I based this on the many prophecies in the Bible that have been fulfilled and will be fulfilled soon. I am presently writing a book on End Times Prophecy, which has been a work in progress for several years. I hope to share this online for free by the end of 2014.
I have hundreds of books, DVD's and CD's on Bible Prophecy and love to teach others about it since what is happening today is exactly inline with what the Bible prophezied. Unfortuanately, things will be getting worse in the world and you need to know what choices you have, in order to avoid the most terrible time in human history that will soon come upon all unbelievers.
You can learn more about me and see my pictures in my AOL bebo profile at toekneemyname at aol.com and on Facebook.
I will from time to time edit and add to this story. Feel free to contact me. Take care and God Bless.
Anthony (Tony) Estrada
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