Joe Louis Pimentel

On the 30th of July 2023 in the year of the Lord, my father-in- law, “Big Poison,” known to most as Jose “Joe” Pimentel or Daddy, pops and grandpa won the greatest championship fight of them all. As the fight was over, the lights dimmed, cameras turned off and cheers quieted, Joe walked down the hallway of gold toward the infinite shimmering sunlight full of peace and entered heaven to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim 4:7)

Joe was born at an undisclosed location in north America on the 19th of March 1944. Some also know his birthday as February 17 1940… Keeping with secrecy, we are still trying to find out through numerous Freedom of Information Act requests for the true date.

Joe spent the majority of his childhood in East Los Angeles. It was at the age of 10 when he met his future bride and love of his life, Jennie Corona. As young teenagers, the two were inseparable and soon married. A short time later they had their son Joe Pimentel Jr. Joe went on to have additional children one being my wife Karen. Joe was reunited in heaven with his son Mondo and eldest daughter Kathy.

With love of God and country, children to care for and bills to pay, Joe took the honorable step, road less traveled and enlisted in the United States Army. Joe proudly wore the uniform and served in the US Army during the 1960’s. After honorably discharging from the Army, Joe’s tenacity and proud fighting spirit led him to a career in professional boxing. His passion was always for a good fight… and he always won. Joe was nicknamed “Big Poison” as his twin was “Little Poison.” Because of his devastating left hook, his boxing physician would refer to him as the modern “Raging Bull.”

Joe fought professionally for almost 10 years, traveling the world, earning multiple featherweight titles; ending his career with a record of 18 wins and 3 losses. In 2013 Joe was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame. I was there with him. He was a rockstar. It was awesome. I’d like to add that I was on the receiving end of numerous of his left hooks and gut shots… he loved to spar. He loved to spar daily. He’d love to spar whether I was ready or not, sitting or standing, cooking, cleaning, working out or in the pool… The joy of living with a world champion boxer suffering with CTE and Dementia who envisioned our home as the proverbial non stop 24/7 boxing ring and me as his opponent. I’d arrive home from work late at night tired and hungry…all were sleeping as I thought… and he’d be in a dark corner with his championship Hall of Fame jacket on eerily waiting for the announcer to ring the bell… All I could do was so Oh boy… here we go. After he’d beat me, I’d always walk him to bed, tuck him in and say G’night Pops, don’t get up.

Ok, back to what I was previously saying… After Joe left boxing, he started an extremely successful landscaping business in LA County. It was here he ran his green thumb business “Pimentel Landscaping” for approximately 40 years. He had an immense love of Palms, flowers and a deep love for roses. He diligently worked all 4 seasons, rain or shine, hot or cold, broken or fixed… I say this because he worked with a broken ankle and a torn rotor cuff for many years never once complaining. His exceptional hard work and dedication allowed Joe to send each of his children to private school and college.

Joe was a stern man yet feverishly loving to his family. My wife Karen would tell me when she was working long days and nights, her Daddy always filled her gas tank, mowed her lawn and hand her cash to see that she never went without. This is a testament to the man he was… others before self.

Despite serving this amazing nation in the United States Army, entering the Boxing Hall of fame, establishing an extremely successful business and creating a loving family, his greatest accomplishment was giving his life to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Joe’s testament was an amazing one. As long as I knew pops, He started his day with coffee and a bible study. He continuously spoke to others about how the Lord changed him from a man of the world to a Christ follower.

Joe loved his Church, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills (CCCH). Sadly, Joe could no longer walk and was non-ambulatory so he especially loved watching Pastor Jack Hibbs on TV every Sunday. He would quietly sit in his leather recliner, intently listening to Jack preach the word of God from the Bible, verse by verse. He would often engage in conversation through the TV with Pastor Hibbs; Those of us living with him thoroughly enjoyed these one-way conversations. I’ll leave it at that.

Overall, Joe lived an awesome, fun filled, hard-working life. Despite our selfishness of wanting the loving husband, hero daddy, comforting grandpa, home boxing companion back here on earth, it’s reassuring to know he is exuberant, pain free, in the arms of our protector and Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ waiting for us now to return home. God Bless you Joe; You won the ultimate championship. Until we see you again. We love you.

Jose will be laid to rest in Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Rd, Whittier, California 90601; Sacred Heart; Gate: 1, Section: 1, Lot: 703, Grave: 4.

There will be a Memorial service at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills - 4201 Eucalyptus Ave. Chino Hills, Ca 91710, 08/24/2023 @ 11am.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.rosehills.com for the Pimentel family.