Contributions to the tribute of Albert Miranda

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Monday, August 21, 2023

ALBERT MIRANDA 3-28-2023 AL MIRANDA, by Belinda Miranda Fisher Lord, WE thank you for enabling us to gather here today so that we can celebrate a life well-lived. As we start the service, we ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit in this place. May God bring comfort to everyone of us so that we can be able to mourn as believers. Amen Dear Dad, Your legacy: 1) You were loved and loved what a wonderful life you lived! 2) Strong work ethic (strength) 3) “Do your best!” (advice) 4) “Keep a sense of humor in life!” (laugh) 5) “Everything will be fine! Everything will be alright!” (advice) 6) “Never give up hope!” (advice) “Be strong and courageous for I am with you (Joshua 1:9).” Growing Up Dad shared stories of growing up with his family on a ranch in Chatsworth, California. My grandparents were caretakers on the ranch. My dad rode with Tata in the truck and tractor helping with daily ranch duties and taking care of the animals. Around six or seven, dad took an interest in learning how to drive the tractor, but [he] could not reach the pedals. Tata Jerry rigged blocks on the tractor pedals and off dad went on the tractor! One day, my Grandma Nana said, “Who would have known that one day your dad would start a business?” [She was referring to] Al Miranda Excavation which became one of the best excavators in Southern California. Do your best! Strong work ethic! High School Dad graduated from Canoga Park High School in 1954. During high school he was a golf caddy; this was the beginning of his passionate love of golf which lasted his entire life. He often golfed every weekend. Do your best! Work ethic! Kids Growing Up and the Animals Saturday mornings were chores, animals, housework, and yardwork. Do your best! Strong work ethic! Growing up we always had animals - dogs, even a wolf, cats, rabbits, guinea pig, hamsters, geese, ducks, lizards, snakes, turtles, a fish aquarium, and a bird aviary. Every Saturday was a zoo - sometimes a circus! Dad enjoyed his Aviary with cockatiels. He enjoyed tending to his aviary raising and training cockatiels to whistle, talk and interact with him. He raised the cockatiels for pet stores, family members and friends. Do your best! Strong Work Ethic! Gardening and the Pool Dad enjoyed gardening in the front yard and backyard. He was always working on some landscaping project and an interior project at the house. A relaxing pleasure for him was to sit by the pool and watch us swim, which included the neighborhood kids too. Dad was always pulling a prank on someone. He was known for his pranks, storytelling, humor, and laughing. NO ONE was immune to his shenanigans. Every day he was very entertaining! Besides his well-known pranks, he also liked a ride up the coast to Chumush Casino to relax and have fun. Keep a sense of humor in life! (laugh) COVID and Hope When dad contracted COVID he told me: “Boy, that was a close call.” “Too close” “Every day I open my eyes is a good day!” “I give gratitude to God daily.” Dad called the ambulance ride to the hospital his limousine ride. He said, “They know me by my first name NOW!” He just amazed me! He never gave up hope! Keep a sense of humor! Everything will be fine! Church Prayers I often prayed for my dad and would light candles at Little Flower Church in Reno, Nevada. St. Jude is the Saint of the Mirandas. Little Flower church was the church my Grandparents would drive to [coming] from Southern California to pray for family and friends. I received a call from dad two days before he passed. He sounded good and was making steady progress daily. He told me he was going home. He said, “Lighten up on the prayers. Everything will be fine! Everything will be alright! Never give up hope!” I remember my dad saying his dad, Tata, passed peacefully in his sleep many years ago. Dad said, “What a way to go peacefully!” My dad, Al Miranda, passed peacefully with his dignity March 13 th at 86 years. He would have been 87 June 1 st . Miss you dearly! In his last year of life, he said, “To me you know 86 years is a good run!” We all can share good stories and laughs that will last forever. Dad, your life was and blessing. Our memory of you is a treasure. You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure. My family and I would like to thank all of you for coming and showing your respect for my dad. In speaking for dad, he would have thanked all of you for making his life wonderful. He was loved and loved what a wonderful life he lived. Rest in peace, dad. God Bless - you are loved. Thoughts as a Keepsake in my Heart I thought of you today, but that’s nothing new. I thought about you yesterday and days before that too. I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. All I have are memories and that will last forever and your picture in a frame. Your memory is a keepsake from which I’ll never part. God has you in his arms. I have you in my heart.

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Lisa posted a condolence

Monday, May 8, 2023

Al & Sharon were my best friends for 25 years!! They lived across the street from us. Condolences to the family Al will be missed.

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Carolyn Berridge posted a condolence

Friday, April 7, 2023

Some of my fondest memories of Al are the trips we made with my mother Sharon to Stateline near Las Vegas. Al was particularly fond of a casino called Whiskey Petes, which was old, small and smoky (nothing like the modern-day replacement that exists there today). This was back in the day when everyone carried coins in a bucket to feed the slot machines, and if you won anything, the coins plunked down into a metal tray one by one. Everyone's hands were filthy black from handling the coins, which had to be put through a change counter to be turned into bills. Al was always lucky, and I remember him hitting jackpots on the slots and exclaiming "Good Wobbly Gobbly !!" The craps table was another delight for him, and if he was on a streak, the sweat would pour off his face as he rolled the dice and shouted "E-o-leven!" My mother would hover to Al's side while she tried to palm some of his winnings so that he wouldn't gamble it all away. Al would scowl and grab it back and keep going. My mother and I were penny gamblers, and we would squeal in delight if we hit a "jackpot" on a nickel machine that probably paid us about $5.00. It was a blast to be around Al and we always had so much fun. Later in life Al gravitated to the keno slots, and the last trip I took with him in October 2022 he played his favorite keno machine at Chumash and came home a winner. I only hope there is a Whiskey Petes for him in heaven where the coins plunk down one by one.

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Shanan Fisher posted a condolence

Sunday, April 2, 2023

As a child, Grandpa Al was a partner in crime. We would visit every year and his proclivity for shenanigans was enthralling. A kindred soul in an adult body. He would hide chocolate in our shoes, that we weren't supposed to have. Or padlock our shoes together and laugh hysterically with us while our parents grumbled and had to cut them apart. Eventually our parents instructed us to hide our shoes when we visited, but it could be money or chocolate as often as impossibly knotted shoelaces. So our shoes were always left conspicuously displayed just before bed. Growing up we had the Tooth Fairy, Santa, and Grandpa Al, who came in the night and left treats and presents to be discovered in the morning. He had a magical pool that could release sharks or alligators when he pushed the button on the TV remote. We never saw them, but why wouldn't we believe him. He had a whole aviary of exotic birds, who responded to his whistles like he was a Disney princess. Sharks and alligators seemed like a logical next step. A fact we shared at school with teachers and students, and which probably prompted some parent teacher conferences. He would sneak us cake and donuts for breakfast, then stand watch and warn us when our parents were coming so we could finish eating before getting caught. For years I got a five dollar bill while my brother got 3 ones, and we would share a conspiratory smile as Clint boasted that he "got more money than me from Grandpa, cause he got 3 bills and I only had 1". The year Clint figured it out we laughed for ages and then found change and 1 dollar bills folded and stuffed in jacket pockets, shoes, and suitcase pockets like he was a magician. The house never changed or aged and it seemed neither did Grandpa and his gleeful smile. So, to us kids, it was like stepping into a fairy realm where time had stopped. He was always there with the same huge smile or mischievous grin, tricks up his sleeve and a child's delight that matched our own. Time passed and I grew up, as do we all.....except for maybe Grandpa Al. My son would come home after visiting Grandpa and would regale me with tales about the same trickster I remember as a child. Delighted stories of birds in an aviary, an alligator pond out back, and quarters pulled out of his ears with magic. His pockets would have melted chocolates and change stuffed in them when he returned home. Fortunately, his shoes always stayed intact,those things are expensive.

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Theresa Miranda uploaded photo(s)

Thursday, March 30, 2023

In Memory of my Dad who taught me not to pray for an easy life, pray to be a strong person. Since he gave me strength, I will often think of Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid: do not be discouraged, for the Lord Your God will be with you wherever you go". I know my Dad is now at peace in Paradise with my Brother Richard and Jesus. All My Love and I will miss you Dad.

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Belinda M, Fisher uploaded photo(s)

Thursday, March 30, 2023

Dear Dad Treasured memories of Humor, Laughs, storytelling, pranks, guidance, strength, love, phone calls and visits that will last forever. I'm very blessed and have gratitude for 86 years of memories that will last forever. I thought of you today, but that's nothing new. I thought about you yesterday and days before that too. I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. All I have are the memories that will last forever, your picture in a frame. Your memory is a keepsake, from which I'll never part. God has you in his arms, I have you in my heart. Love, Belinda

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Daneyra uploaded photo(s)

Friday, March 24, 2023

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Al “Holmes” took my family and I in when I was 8 years old. He completely changed our lives and became a father figure I never had. Most of my young adult hood I spent it with him while I was going to school. We would have subway, sandwiches and cupids hotdogs for lunch and there was never a moment he wasn’t talking about the past and about his favorite movies, wisdom, pools he had dug for famous people, and how he’d wish he’d bet more when gambling. He never failed to make us laugh but also give us tough love. We spent the last 21 years of his life together with my mom and will forever cherish the precious memories, jokes, watching movies and eating popcorn. We love you more than anything and will forever miss you. We carry you in our hearts every day and we pray that you are finally resting with your mom, dad and Richard.

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Amy uploaded photo(s)

Thursday, March 23, 2023

You will be truly missed Grandpa Al. You never fostered a memory without laughter. Your tall tales were soooo convincing (including my favorite piloting of the Spruce Goose). Your yard was full of wonderful places for a kid to get splinters, collect snails, dive into the pool, yell at kids walking along the fence, and get called inside when the street lights came on. Christmas Eve tamales will never be the same. Rest in peace. Say hello to Grandma and Richard for us.

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The family of Albert Miranda uploaded a photo

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Albert Miranda

1936 - 2023

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