Cover photo for Joseph Aguila's Obituary
Joseph Aguila Profile Photo
1929 Joseph 2023

Joseph Aguila

June 30, 1929 — November 7, 2023

Joseph Aguila passed away in his home surrounded by his family on November 7, 2023, after a 3-year battle with end-stage congestive heart failure. Joe was born June 30, 1929 in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles to parents Salvador and Carmen Aguila. Joe’s parents were residents of San Pedro, California where Joe lived out his entire life. Joe attended Barton Hill and Bandini Street Elementary, Dana Jr High, and San Pedro High School. When Joe was young, he delivered The Newspilot paper to local residents. He worked for the Boys and Girls Club where he discovered his love of sports. At San Pedro High School he lettered in both Football and Track and Field and graduated in the Summer of 1947. His football jersey, number 57, for the San Pedro Pirates, could often be found in newspaper articles on Saturday morning highlighting his game-day accomplishments. Joe attended both Los Angeles Harbor College and Loyola Marymount to play football. His time in college was cut short when he joined the United States Army. He served his country during the Korean War stateside as a basic training instructor. He played football for the 1949 Fort Ord Army Championship Team with legendary footballer Dick “Night Train” Lane. In 1950 he was introduced to the love of his life, Catherine Dorio by his sister Marie. The couple were married on April 15, 1951, in Yuma, Arizona in a private ceremony. They remained married for 49 years until Catherine’s death in 2000. After returning home from the Army in 1952 he followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a proud member of the ILWU where he worked dockside for 41 years. Early in his career, he earned his nickname “Joe Bananas” for unloading bananas from the cargo ships. Joe and Catherine had two daughters, Eileen and Janet whom they raised in San Pedro. They enjoyed family gatherings, holidays, and family trips. Joe and Catherine enjoyed the company of their four grandchildren: Michelle, Erica, Edward J, and Briana. Joe and Catherine traveled the world together and enjoyed every moment of it. They cruised the Mediterranean, Panama Canal, Hawaii, and Australia just to name a few. They made many trips to Europe to visit the family homes of their fathers; Paterna Del Rio, Spain and Trappeto, Sicily. The couple enjoyed bowling and were very active in retirement in leagues. After losing his wife Joe enjoyed the sanctuary of his home. Joe was an avid newspaper reader and thoroughly enjoyed the “Sports” section until he received a home computer where he could keep up to the minute on all the sports rankings. He was a devoted sports enthusiast and enjoyed watching any and all football, baseball, basketball, track and field, and soccer games. He frequently attended San Pedro High football games and track meets. In the last decade, he was inducted into the Los Angeles Harbor College Athletic Hall of Fame for his contribution to football during his short stint there. Joe remained an active pensioner for his Union in retirement. In recent years he had to cut back to just attending the annual luncheon. Joe spent the last 3 years cared for in his home by his granddaughter Michelle with loving support from his two best caretakers Byranna Nieto and Naomi Sermeno. He will always be remembered as a devoted husband, doting father, loving grandfather and papa, a supporting son and brother, and a proud uncle.

Joe is preceded in death by his wife of 49 years Catherine Dorio Aguila, his parents Salvador and Carmen Aguila, his mother and father-in-law Rose Salvato and Vincent Dorio, his sister Marie (Roy) Katnic, his brother and sisters-in-law Lorraine (Frank) Lehane, Leonard (Mary) Dorio, Verna Jo and Denise Dorio, Barbara Dorio, and Josephine (Chuck) Kerns, Uncle Tony Benites, and nephew Robert “Bob” Gomez, and niece Maria Dorio.

He is survived by his children; Eileen (Ed) Perez and Janet (Arno) Aguila-Krause, his grandchildren; Michelle (Daniel Adrian) Boren-Cybul, Erica (Michael Lundgren) Perez, Edward Joseph Perez, and Briana (Rob) Jones; his great-grandchildren; James, Mason, and Tatem Cybul, Elliott and Penelope Lundgren, Pace and Cecelia Perez, and Damian, Zachary, Wesley, and Cora Jones, his brother and sister-in-law Bert Dorio and Virginia Lee (John) Nies and special nephew Frank Gomez, along with many other adoring nieces and nephews, and cousins as far as Spain and Argentina.

The family wishes to acknowledge the compassionate care he received from Kaiser Permanente Palliative and Hospice Team, especially nurses Chris and Bonnie and Dr. Nam, who made caring for Joe at home a possibility.

He will be forever loved, missed, and remembered. We thank him for his service to his country and thank all who serve our great nation.

A memorial service will take place Saturday November 25th, 2023 at 2pm at Green Hills Memorial Park with internment to follow. A viewing will be held Friday November 24th at Green Hills from 4-8pm.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a charitable donation to your local Boys & Girls Club or his beloved San Pedro High School Athletic Department or the Pirate Boosters.
To send flowers to the family in memory of Joseph Aguila, please visit our flower store.

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