Passing of three Visalia giants: Dr. Robert Aguilar, Tony Salierno, and Carmelita Jarvis Conn

Good things come in threes, or so they say.

They also say that about sad things.

Visalia lost three good people – giants really – in a matter of days.

What is really sad is that most people will never understand how great these giants were. They were people on whose shoulders the rest of us stand.

First, there was Dr. Robert Aguilar, a champion of education, of children and especially of Latinx advancement. His advocacy of Latinx development was renowned throughout the state of California. He passed away on March 20 at age 90.

Just this week, we learned of the death of Carmelita Jarvis Conn. Her unflagging devotion to the cause of public affairs continued up to her death on April 25 at the age 91. Carmelita's incredible life journey reflected that of California: entrepreneur, mother of seven children, devoted wife to two men, she founded at least three newspapers on her own, ran for public office at least twice, and was always involved when she agreed with your cause.

And third, coming on the heels of the passing of Carmelita, was Tony Salierno, who had been struggling against illness for many months. Tony was a veteran and local businessman, who with the support of his wife, Mary, built an enormously profitable business providing mortgages to people needing home ownership in the Valley. The Saliernos used that prosperity to create one of the area's greatest philanthropic institutions, the Provident Salierno Family Foundation, whose millions in contributions to our communities will be felt for generations.

I knew all three of these individuals intimately. In my role as an editor at the Visalia Times-Delta, I often relied on them for advice, for guidance and for information. Dr. Aguilar served on our editorial board. Salierno was a cheerful partner of many of the Times-Delta's community enterprises and a fellow Rotarian. Carmelita was just as passionate a watchdog on behalf of the public even after she no longer published newspapers. She and I often conferred on local issues. And when I screwed up, I could always count on Carmelita for the first call in the morning.

I don't pretend this is an elegy. The folks who knew them far better than I, their family and close friends, will extol these three giants at their memorial services in eulogies far beyond my poor power to add. But even as poor a scribe as I am, I could not let their passing go without celebrating their contributions to our community.

For instance, there is a reason that the pantry/warehouse at Visalia Emergency Aid Council, is named for the Provident Salierno Family Foundation. For years, the Saliernos contributed funds to Visalia Emergency Aid and the Bethlehem Center.

Tony was also a gifted musician. He played French horn for the Sequoia Symphony for years. He also played at St. Mary's Church. The organ at the church was donated by the Saliernos, as was who knows how much to St. Charles Borromeo Church.

Every Thanksgiving for many years, Tony, with his buddy, former police chief Bruce McDermott, and several others, would go around Visalia as the Turkey Transit Singers, raising a quarter million dollars over more than 20 years for Visalia Emergency Aid.

Tony never met a needy cause he couldn't love.

Bob Aguilar never met a needy child he couldn't love. For more than five decades, Dr. Aguilar [always "Doctor Aguilar", by the way] was a tireless advocate for Latinx kids in the Valley. His was a classic up-by-the-bootstraps story. From a poor farmworker family in El Paso, Aguilar worked the Valley fields and the L.A. streets. He earned success as a student and an athlete at Delano High and Porterville College and Fresno State. After serving his nation in World War II, he pursued a career in education. He co-founded the Association of Mexican-American Educators and the California Association of Latino School Administrators. His influence on education for Mexican-American students cannot be overstated.

Carmelita Jarvis Conn would always say she was fortunate to have married two incredible men, both judges – John Jarvis and Ken Conn. Both have passed, and both were incredible, but both would have said they were the fortunate ones. Both judges were influential in improving our local justice system, especially for juveniles. But there is no doubt Carmelita influenced them.

What can I say? Carmelita was a force of nature. Whenever she would call me, my head would be spinning by the end with her insights. By the time I hit Visalia three decades ago, she had already raised seven children, earned three degrees, written for or founded four newspapers, helped publish two books, become a balloon ascensionist, and run twice for public office.

Carmelita once wrote a column called "The Gadfly," and that ain't lyin'.

Talking with Carmelita was always a little like taking a cardio stress test – first, take a deep breath, now ...

They were giants, all. They grasped life and shook until it yielded. They brought everyone else along for the ride, like it or not, but you always did. They left everything better than when they found it, and lots of offspring behind to carry on the mission.

They loved this community. It loved them back. I know I did.

Paul Hurley is a former Community Conversation Editor for the Visalia Times-Delta. He can be reached at prhurley2012@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Passing of three Visalia giants: Aguilar, Salierno, and Conn