Obituary for my Dad, by Susan Guzman.

Dad was born July 17. 1935 from parents who were of Italian, German and French descent. Raised in the rough streets of Bronx, New York, the early lessons learned in his accelerated youth would prove to be valuable life skills in his adulthood.

Dad the the ignoble (mean) streets of New York to start his adult life at age 18. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp, on November 12, 1953. After serving, like many, he moved west.

In Arizona, he met, fell in love with, and married Virginia E. Galindo, my mother, in 1958. A year later, I was born. I am Susan, his eldest daughter. A few months later, we came to Southern California, and lived across the street from Cerritos College. There, my dad started his life in the business of cars - a deep passion of his. Of course, Dad had many passions - first and foremost, his family. The Lord blessed Dad with 2 more children, Roy, then Christine. We were all just one year apart.

Dad soon moved his family to a beautiful new home in La Palma, CA, where he would live for the remainder of his life. By this time, Dad had a thriving automotive business of his own. To name a few of his businesses, there were Roy's Transmissions, Norwalk Auto Clinic,Nor-Tech Training Center, Indian Roy's Motorcycle Dealership, and lastly, Deals on Wheels Dealership. While Dad was running his businesses and raising a family of 5, he concurrently was attending college classes in the evening to earn his AA Degree as a teacher. He was always a very busy man, but he liked it that way! He even found time to teach a few vocational automotive classes at Cerritos College. He was amazing to me.

My dad loved life and was basically a big kid at heart. For those who knew or worked with Dad, you saw that he could be tough and show his "east coast grit", but he had a BIG HEART...big enough for everyone.

His generosity and love for those he cared for was limitless and sincere. Dad had broad shoulders, so to speak. I often though my dad, Roy, was the problem solver for everyone he cared for. He was the focal point. He was the center of our family. He was the very foundation of our family.

It is often said that only a parent can have unconditional love for their children. I think they were thinking of Dad when that was said. Life was an adventure for dad. Whatever was new and different was what life was all about.

Dad loved his grandchildren, Alexis (8), Eric (6), Marissa (7) and Justine (5). Dad also adored his menagerie of dogs, cats, birds and rabbits. He loved his hobbies, especially his ornate woodworking in his last years.

Roy, my dad, was a brilliant man. He was blessed with a sharp mind, strong but gentle hands, and a vibrant sense of humor. But, most of all, Dad was blessed with a big heart and a sensitivity seen by those of us who were closest to him. He was a father that any child would want, a husband that any wife would want, a grandfather than any grandchild would want, and a friend that any friend would want.

Roy Palumbo, Sr. He was my Dad. I pray for the Lord to now let him rest. Give him the rest he did not get here on earth. God bless you, Dad. I Love You!

As all of you, I am grieving the loss of my father today. Words at times like this are often hard to express. And, yet, they are felt so deeply, that fine tuning them to sound just the right way is next to impossible. So will you please forgive me if my words are not as tailored or as eloquent as they should be. I will just say what I feel, straight from my heart, and let the words rest where they may.

My father was neither a Saint nor a Devil. He was just a man trying to do the best he could for his family. When he gave, he gave from his heart and of his self - becuase that is just what he did. When he felt pain, hurt or disappointment, he held it in and struggled with it - because that is just what he did. But there was another side of my father that words perhaps are not strong enough to express, or the emotions they bring in me now, as I write this eulogy. My Father - My Daddy was a man of great strength and courage. He lived with so much that he carried on his shoulders alone, and still seemed to get up the next day and keep doing whatever it was he had to do. He was a man of few soft words, but fought hard to make you understand that he loved you by showing you what hard work and determination meant by the examples he set and lived everyday of his life. He was the glue that held everything together in our lives. My father was sensitive, but never let anyone see that side of him. I knew this by several private conversations we had, and that I now cherish. He liked to be pampered and cared for, but would never ask for attention. It was not his style. He was proud, and his pride was achieved through his grandchildren. My father had few truly joyful days in his life, but I know that the days his grandchildren were born - those were the happiest days of his life in recent years. Those babies were his greatist gifts, and he tried hard to let them know they were the most precious things in his life. My father was playful and kind, though he had limited time to let those side of him show, because he was always working so hard. There are many words that could describe him and there could have been many more, but his life has been cut short.