Estanislao Ochoa Solis, 93, a longtime resident of Pittsburg, CA, entered into everlasting life on Monday, July 15, 2019, after a very brief battle with pneumonia.  He is survived by his daughter, Lettie Solis, two grandsons whom he loved dearly, Eddie and Michael Carrillo, his niece and adopted daughter, Cecilia Solis Gonzales, one brother Bernabe Solis and one sister, Maria Solis Gonzales. He is also survived my many cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews.

Estanislao, also known as Tanilo and "Stan the Man" was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Margarita Carbajal de Solis, daughter Margarita Solis, son, Henry Solis, a very dear sister-in law, Abigail Carbajal, and his mother Maria Ochoa Solis.  His family will always remember him as a very kind and loving son, husband, father, grandfather, brother-in-law, uncle, friend and neighbor. He was a very loving, kind and respectful person who dedicated his entire life to his family and extended family. His pride and joy was his family, and he encouraged his children and grandchildren to pursue their goals in life, education, and most importantly to live a faith-based life. He was an honest man with strong moral principles. He had a beautiful smile, a giving spirit, and sincerely cared about everyone and performed acts of kindness out of the goodness of his heart.

Estanislao was born in El Llano, Michoacán, Mexico on May 9, 1926, and is preceded in death by his parents, Jesus Solis and Maria Ochoa Solis, sisters Virginia Solis and Rosa Solis Del Villar and brothers, Juan, Antonio, Jose, and Jesus.  At the very young age of 14, he entered into manhood, when he along with his brother Jose immigrated to California to look for work to provide for and support his mother and siblings after his father's death.  He first started working at various farms in Isleton, Courtland, Dixon and surrounding areas.  He then, with the help of Candelario Rosales and his family, found employment at the U.S. Steel Mill in Pittsburg in the early 1940s

Estanislao became a United States Citizen and in the 1950s was able to help immigrate his mother, sisters Virginia and Rosa and adopt one of his nieces. In 1957, he bought his first brand new car that he absolutely loved and took care of very well, a 1957 Chevy Bel Air.  It was in Tijuana, Baja California, where he met the love of his life, Margarita Carbajal de Solis. Estanislao and Margarita where married on August 7, 1960, and settled in Pittsburg, California, where they established a loving home and raised three children and two wonderful grandchildren.  Prior to his wife's passing on December 16, 2015, they had celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary.  His most important job was being a good husband, father and grandfather.

Estanislao began working at the United States Steel Mill in Pittsburg, California during WWII and retired in the late 1980s after more than 40 years of employment. He took pride in his work ethics and never missed a day on the job receiving many yearly awards and medals for no absence or sick days used. He passed this strong work ethics onto his children and grandchildren. After retirement from the steel mill, he, along with his wife, helped raised his grandsons, Eddie and Michael, taking them to school daily and also to their little league baseball games and practices.  He was truly instrumental in shaping their lives and was a great father figure and role model.  He also assisted his wife as a babysitter for neighboring families and friends during the 1990s.

Tanilo loved his family very much and was very active in encouraging and supporting his children's and grandchildren's education and attended all school events and awards nights.  He also supported his son and grandsons at all their peanut league baseball games and practices. Tanilo was a very involved and often played with his children and grandchildren, including the Mexican version of the ring around the roses," A La Vibora, Vibora De la Mar."  His children's friends were always welcomed in their home and he and his wife were known as Mama and Papa Solis. Every year he would take his family on vacation including weekend getaways to see extended family members in San Diego, Los Angeles, Tijuana, Salinas, Watsonville, Napa and St Helena, as extended family meant so much to him. He took his family along with nieces and nephews to ballparks, amusement parks and zoos, including the San Francisco and Oakland Zoos, Oakland Ferryland, Marine World, and a yearly trip to Disneyland.

Estanislao will always be remembered as a hero to his family after he saved the life of his then five-year old niece, Norma, from drowning in a river in Modesto, CA. It took but one heartbeat for him to valiantly run and leap into the river fully clothed to rescue his niece and save her life by performing life-saving, first-aid techniques.  Tanilo was a huge fan of the Oakland A's and San Francisco Giants and never missed a game. He enjoyed taking his entire family to the both ballparks during 1970s and attending games throughout the Oakland As winning championship streak. He was a dedicated family man and great provider, and his family was never in want. He also provided for his mother, sister Virginia and niece Cecilia, and never failed to visit his mother on a daily basis.  He loved tamales and sweets and especially his daughter Margie's famous Mexican flan she made every holiday. He loved ice cream and his favorite flavors were pistachio and coconut pineapple

Estanislao was a man that lived his life by faith and exemplified the fruits of the spirit--love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance--and the love of Christ flowed through him. Whenever any of his extended family members or friends were sick or hospitalized, he and his wife always made an effort to visit them in the hospital, no matter the distance.  He welcomed everyone into his home with his beautiful smile and warm embrace. Anyone who visited his home never left hungry as he was very hospitable and always offered a plate of food, refreshments, and/or fruits and vegetables grown from his own garden.  He was an avid gardener and loved sharing his knowledge of gardening and the fruits of his labor with others.  He grew sugar cane, zucchini, tomatoes, beans, chillies, and had a grove of fruit trees and knew how to graft plants to produce tress with multiple types of fruits—a tree bearing 4 types of apples, a tree half apricot, half plum

Estanislao was a member of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Pittsburg, California since the early 1960s. Attending Mass every Sunday his family was followed by a trip to downtown Pittsburg and the river and then an ice cream at Thrifty's. He woke up every morning by first kneeling in thanksgiving and praying and went to bed every night praying for his family and all those in need.  He also attended mass every day, seven days a week.

Estanislao was a virtuous man, a devout Catholic, a loving and devoted husband and father, a kind, gentle and supportive Tata, a very respectful and loving son, a wonderful brother and uncle, a dear friend, and an inspiration to many for his spirit of giving and providing to many. His wonderful and gentle soul will forever remain in our hearts until we see him again.

Cuando la vida nos separa de un ser querido el recuerdo de su sonrisa, amor y amistad es la mejor manera de seguir adelante y mantenerla viva en nuestro corazón y mente. Que no se olvide nunca cuánto te amamos porque fuiste un gran ser humano (esposo, padre, tata, hijo, hermano, tio, amigo) Nos llenaste de amor en tu paso por este mundo y nos contagiaste con tu espíritu, sonrisa y amor. Fuiste un ejemplo de valentía y fortaleza y benevolencia. Descanse en paz querido Tata (Stan the Man).

Measured Steps

Every step I walk today

Will be a step of love

That will endear me to the Lord

And lead to life, above;

Each one will win His touch of Grace

Upon my life and soul

And be a measure of my worth

For Heaven's treasured goal.

I will not wander from the ways

That life has proven true,

And will not trample on the flowers

That love and patience grew;

I will but walk, with measured steps,

Each path and traveled mile

And line each path with deeds of love

And miles of happy smiles

Author: Michael Dubina

Visitation will be held on Monday, July 29, 2019 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm with a vigil at 6:30pm at the Pittsburg Funeral Chapel. Funeral liturgy Tuesday, July 30, 2019 at 10:00am at Church of the Good Shepherd. Committal services following at Holy Cross Cemetery in Antioch.