Tributes

Santiago Carmona Perez, who also went by Chago, Papi, Santi, and Don Chago, was born July 25,1964 in his hometown of Tupátaro, Guanajuato, Mexico. He was a devoted and loving family man who truly understood what it meant to love and give back to not only his family but his communities as well. His loved ones remember him as a gentle and loving pillar of strength, having been the first born in his family who everyone looked to for guidance and support. You could never catch him in a bad mood, he was never one to dwell on negativity or use the influence he had on others against them, instead he was always ready to lend a hand or share a kind word to anyone. He definitely was a man of many passions and talents. His love for spending time with family and friends was unmatched, and he was always the heart of gatherings, sharing stories and laughter while leaving others with beautiful memories of the time spent with him. Despite knowing so much of others and the world he was never arrogant, instead he chose to stay humble, and protect his and his family’s peace. He was also not shy of expressing his grand personality, crying over heartfelt emotions without shame and teaching everyone around him that a strongman didn’t mean a man who always held it together, but rather one who didn’t shy from showing his emotions and wearing his heart on his sleeve— even if it meant giving out more of himself than he had to offer. Since last year February 14, 2024 he had been battling late stage stomach cancer. Sadly after a long hard battle against cancer during the morning of January 15, 2025 he passed away in Vallejo’s Sutter Solano Hospital, surrounded by family who loved him and were fighting for him and with him every step of the way. Through it all he never lost sight of the things he valued most, because despite the toll his illness took on him he still continued to pursue his work as a CDL-A Flatbed Driver and make time for his family and hobbies. Most of his days prior to starting chemo consisted of sightseeing while trucking, calling his family to check on everyone, planning trips to his hometown, working on beautiful American cars, and spending time with family either at home or parties near and far. He was an explorer at heart, always curious about the world and the way things worked. Even during his treatments he continued to pursue all these passions, even when his doctors advised him to take rest at home and put his health first. His careers definitely exemplified his endless pursuit of learning about the world he encountered, having not only worked in Southern California fixing commercial vehicles and handling pesticides but also in conjunction with construction companies building houses from the ground up, and also traveling throughout the state for endless projects that varied from transporting materials to even having a part in creating some of the most renowned commercial buildings that now stand proud today in the American economy. Through it all, his work in every field was felt through his character; He himself never needed a plumber, car mechanic, electrician, construction worker, horticulturist, architect, so on and so forth because he himself was capable of each and every job personal and professional alike. Any sort of problem that even a licensed handyman would struggle at Santiago Carmona always managed to do with ease and pride, setting a perfect example of what a devoted traditional family man should be. Although a native Spanish speaker he was able to get a perfect grasp on the English language once he integrated himself into American life after immigrating as a teen, but he held a firm grip on his Mexican rancher roots as well: making sure to take care of his family back in Mexico through any means while also building and supporting a new one with his wife and kids here in the states. He grew up during a time where no electricity was offered in his hometown and the ways of life consisted of hard manual labor on his father’s farm with his love and devotion for the land and the animals he took care of. This carried itself over into his adulthood as he always dreamed of owning his own plot of land and many vehicles of all uses hoping to continue the legacy of being a rancher with fields as far as the eye could see and beautiful animals in his care. You could see this fascination for the simple joys of ranch work in his love for his pets and constructing projects that showcased his knowledge of what engineering used to be before technology took precedence in our lives. If he dreamt it, he could not only build it, maintain it, but also fix and copy it infinitely. All of his family agreed that he was one of a kind with a heart of gold, never missing an opportunity to reach out and support everyone he came across while never expecting anything in return but their safety and happiness. He loved his family, he loved his career; He touched the hearts and lives of everyone who was lucky enough to cross paths with him. He will always be remembered as a loving and devoted family man with endless curiosity and a drive unlike any other for work and life. Santiago Carmona’s Vigil will be held on Sunday January 26, 2025 at Skyview Memorial Lawn, 200 Rollingwood Drive, Vallejo CA. 94591 with plans to have his funeral in his home town of Tupátaro, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Tributes

Santiago C. Perez

July 25, 1964 - January 15, 2025