José Cardona

José “Joe” Cardona, age 75, passed away Friday, Jan. 14 in Bellingham. 

Joe was born Sept. 21, 1946 in McAllen, Texas to parents Santos and Estella M Cardona. He grew up in Oxnard, California. 

Joe earned a certificate for diesel engines mechanic. He worked a short time at Uniflight, then went on to work for Conoco Phillips for 33 years.

Joe served in the Navy during the Vietnam war, earning the National Defense service medal, and the Vietnam service medal with one bronze star.

Joe served on the USS Chanticleer with Naval Station in San Diego, California.

He married Maria Cantu on May 4, 1968 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lynden. 

Joe enjoyed fishing and hunting, barbecuing for his family, tending to his roses and fruit trees and photography and sunsets. 

Joe is survived by his wife Maria of the family home, children Esmeralda Cardona Panatex (Robert Jr.), Pedro José Cardona (Kelly), Eliasar Javier Cardona (Samantha); grandchildren Serena and Stefan Panatex, Alexander and Victoria Cardona, Micael Guel, Mercedes Cardona Wang, and Jose and Divina Cardona; great-grandchild Kiana Wang.  

Joe is remembered as being kind, generous and loving to everyone he knew.

 “And He will rise you up on eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of his hand. Psalms 91.

Rosary was Thursday, Jan. 20 at Gillies Funeral Home. Funeral Mass was Friday, Jan. 21 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Lynden, and burial in Greenwood Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home.