In Memoriam: Albertano Rocha

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Albertano Rocha, who passed away on May 29th.

Albertano started as a corpsmember with the Corps in 2018. He worked on natural resource management projects and got the opportunity to respond to the Paradise Fire. Throughout his time as a corpsmember, he took advantage of opportunities to develop his skills and formed close bonds with other corpsmembers. Albertano demonstrated his characteristic positive energy with this quote about his time as a corpsmember, “Always stay positive in tough times. Take life day by day because everything will only get better.” In 2021, his dedication to advancing himself technically and personally led to him being hired as a Crew Supervisor. 

As a Supervisor, Albertano embodied the mission of the Corps. He created an inclusive family atmosphere on his crew where they all supported each other and had each other’s backs. The fact that he had been a corpsmember and had gone through similar challenges to the ones his corpsmembers faced showed them all a vision of a positive future for themselves. Corpsmembers credited him with giving them the confidence to advocate for themselves and for being there for them as a mentor and leader. When we decided to create a video about the experience of working on a crew, it was obvious that Albertano’s crew should be the one highlighted. 

As a colleague, Albertano connected with staff within his team and across the organization; most SJCC+CS staff can cite a special connection they had with Albertano. He always showed up at Staff Retreats and Development Days eager to learn and participate and he inspired us all with the perspective he shared at the supervisor panel at the 2024 Retreat. He had volunteered to present the Projects department Corpsmember of the Year award at this year’s Beginnings Bash and was excited to cheer on the corpsmembers who had been or were currently part of his crew at Graduation. 

As a person, his warm smile lit up every space he was in and he had the ability to make everyone he interacted with feel special and heard. He was overflowing with love for his daughter and took every opportunity he could to share photos or stories about her. His positivity, generosity of spirit, and kindness will be remembered by all who interacted with him.

Albertano’s impact on our community cannot be overstated. He changed the lives of about 50 corpsmembers who were on his crew over the years and touched the lives of hundreds more corpsmembers that went through the program and staff who worked with him. Additionally, he transformed the landscapes of countless trails and parks in our community and beyond. Albertano is truly a community hero. 

We know this loss will be felt deeply within our Corps community, and we encourage everyone to take care of themselves in whatever way they need.

A wake and service will be held on Friday, June 6th at 6 pm at a family member’s home at 5251 Great Oaks Dr., San Jose.  Please note that you will be directed to an off-site parking location and shuttled to the house. The burial will take place on Saturday, June 7th at 10:30 am at Oak Hill Memorial Park at 300 Curtner Ave., San Jose. The family invites everyone to attend who would like to show their support. 

For those who wish to show support to Albertano’s family during this difficult time, a website has been set up with more information and options to donate or send condolences.

Our thoughts are with Albertano’s family, friends, and loved ones. He will be greatly missed.