Obituaries : Fermin ‘Jose’ Escobedo; Ice Cream Vendor

Fermin “Jose” Escobedo, who drove the streets of Oxnard selling ice cream for almost 20 years, died Monday after a short illness. He was 67.

Escobedo was born July 7, 1929, in Pueblo, Colo., to a family of farm workers. He followed in their footsteps, moving to Oxnard about 40 years ago to work on area farms.

But daughter Mirna Regollar of Oxnard said Escobedo eventually had enough of the job.

“He went into business for himself when he got tired of the long hours and working for other people,” she said.

His wife, Angela, came up with the idea of driving an ice cream truck, an idea Escobedo initially resisted, Regollar said.

“He was like, ‘I’m not driving around in a truck selling 25-cent ice creams,’ ” Regollar said.

But the business paid off. With his wife driving one truck and him driving another, Escobedo made a good living, Regollar said. And he became well known throughout La Colonia and the other neighborhoods he worked.

Escobedo retired two years ago, when he turned 66.

Outside of work, Escobedo was a devoted father and master of the barbecue, Regollar said.

In addition to his wife and daughter, survivors include sons Gustavo Moreno and Anarbo Moreno and daughter Bertha Moreno, all of Oxnard.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m. today at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Oxnard, with interment following at Santa Clara Cemetery.

James A. Reardon Mortuary, Oxnard, is handling the arrangements.