Dedication to honor alumnus' life

By ZACK WALTON

With his degree from Fresno State, his own business and his dedication to hard work, Juan Ramirez was well on his way to acheiving his goals—before his life was devastatingly cut short.

Just more than three months after his tragic death, a tree dedication will be held for Ramirez at 11 a.m. Saturday on the west side of Ponderosa Hall off the walkway between the Residence Dinning Hall and University Courtyard main office.

Ramirez died in the early morning hours of Aug. 4 after being involved in a motorcycle accident with his friend Daniel Thorton.

“Juan was very generous, and very ambitious,” said Patrick McKinney, facilities coordinator for University Courtyard and Ramirez’s former co-worker. “He always wanted to do well, and when he was successful, he shared his generosity with those around him.”

Ramirez, from Caruthers, began at Fresno State as a resident student at Baker Hall and started working for University Courtyard shortly after. In 2001, he received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Craig School of Business and started his own housekeeping and maintenance company in May of the following year.

After University Courtyard expressed displeasure with its current maintenance company, Ramirez bid for and received a contract with his company, California Labor Services, as housekeeping and maintenance for the campus resident housing.

At the time of his death, his company employed 20 workers.

“Juan always had in mind what he wanted to do, and his goal was to retire at 36,” said Esmeralda Ramirez, Juan’s younger sister. “Don’t ask me why that was the age he picked, but that was what he always used to tell us.”

Juan was always willing to work hard for what he wanted, Esmeralda said, and as the oldest of four children, he was constantly conscious of his younger siblings and how they handled their studies.

“Juan was always concerned whether everyone got their homework finished,” Esmeralda said. “He always helped us in his spare time.”

More than 100 of Juan’s friends and family are expected to attend the dedication, McKinney said.

The dedication will be held on what would have been Juan’s 28th birthday.