Quiet Giants :
Henry Diaz , Sr .
Love , laughter , and a heart of gold
By Kimberly Ewertz Photos by Mike Sanchez , Tony Scotino , and Joyce Diaz
Love and laughter are at the heart of the Diaz family , whose patriarch is 91-year-old Henry Diaz , and Gilroy has been their home for generations . Yet the family knows heartache as well . Rachel , the love of Henry ’ s life , and wife of 66 years , passed away in 2016 .
The couple ’ s remarkable connection with each other was evident in every aspect of their lives . “ My mom and dad danced so well together that they usually had a crowd around them to just watch and admire them , they were so in sync ,” daughter Joyce , said .
Henry still recalls when the couple first met at a local roller rink . “ I used to like to get at the end of line … and this one time we went around and the kid in front of me let go — and both of us went flying ,” Henry explained . “ I went over the rail and landed in front of Rachel . That ’ s how I met her . She helped me , she picked me up .”
The couple ’ s first date soon followed . “ And I got my first kiss ,” Henry said , adding , “ Mommy wasn ’ t there .”
The couple sustained a long-distance relationship , writing letters to one another after Rachel returned to her home in Azusa , California . “ But I ’ m not going to tell you what we wrote about ,” Henry said with a grin .
Rachel ’ s return to Gilroy in 1949 was soon followed by a wedding . Nine months later the couple ’ s first child was born , Henry Jr . ( who passed in 2000 ). Over the next few years the Diaz family grew with the birth of Ted , Ron , and Joyce . Henry secured employment at Gilroy Canning , where he retired after 47 years in 1994 .
Providing his children a good education was a top priority for Henry . “ I wanted them to have everything I didn ’ t have ,” he said , as his education ended his freshman year of high school . So he enrolled them in St . Mary ’ s where they became very active in extracurricular activities . “ We had them in Boy Scouts , in Girl Scouts , we had them in everything ,” Henry said .
MAIN IMAGE : Henry Diaz , Sr . is a family man . He and wife of 66 years , Rachel , led their family with love , laughter , and a spirit of adventure . ABOVE LEFT : Thanks to Henry ' s roller skating stunt gone bad , he and Rachel met and began a long distance courtship . They married in 1949 . ABOVE RIGHT : Henry and Rachel loved to dance and often drew a crowd of spectators .
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