Mass Scheduled Today for Apolinar Ventura, 98

A Mass will be said today for Apolinar Aguilar Ventura, a Mexican immigrant who helped raise 10 children in Placentia’s Santa Fe neighborhood while working as an agricultural boss. He died Sunday at the age of 98.

Ventura died as a result of complications after a fall and concussion he suffered about a year ago, relatives said.

Ventura was born in 1895 in a rural village in the state of Jalisco. When he was about 6 years old, Ventura began working in agricultural fields in Arizona and later in packinghouses throughout Orange County, said his grandson, Joe Aguirre.

Ventura eventually became a crew foreman and driver for teams of workers who harvested citrus in Orange County.

In the 1920s, Ventura settled in Placentia’s Santa Fe neighborhood. Shortly afterward, he married Justina Ortega, with whom he helped raise eight girls and two boys. Three of the girls died before they were 5 years old, family members said. Justina Ortega died in 1986.

Ventura retired in 1966 from agricultural work, but continued to tend the citrus trees that surrounded his home, family members said. Even though he had trouble walking, Ventura was often seen pruning orange trees or doing other work around his home, said Fred Aguirre, a neighbor and Joe Aguirre’s uncle.

Ventura is survived by seven children: Apolinar Ventura Jr. of La Palma; Dolores Aguirre of Placentia; Frank Ventura of Yorba Linda; Thelma Felix of Renton, Wash.; Maria Ventura of Riverside; Lupe Ventura of Placentia; and Cecilia Chavez of Placentia. He is also survived by 21 grandchildren.

The Mass for Ventura will be said at 8:30 a.m. today at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Placentia.