Heartbreak struck the Branham community when learning about the recent passing of former custodian Vinnie Ramos near the beginning of September.

Ramos worked for 10 years at Branham as the school’s plant manager and had retired at the end of last school year. In the position, he was in charge of the custodial staff and served as their overseer.

To some, such as Spanish teacher Sara Maddelein, Ramos was more than a custodian — he was a mentor and guide.

“He was someone who I knew I could call if I ever needed help,” Maddelein said. “He was always there, no matter the incident.”

Ramos’ sister, Jonell Ramos, shared a message highlighting how much Ramos loved to explore.

“He was my traveling partner and one of my favorite people to spend time with,” Jonell Ramos said. “He learned enough Vietnamese in only three months to walk into a restaurant, order his food, and make himself understood.”

Because he was part of Branham’s community for a long time, Maddelein saw Ramos as someone who represented the school’s values.

“Vinnie was Branham,” Maddelein said. “[He was] someone who showed up day in and day out and really [cared] about the students.”

In addition to teachers, Ramos was appreciated by principal Beth Silbergeld. Silbergeld described how Ramos was always ready to put his best effort forward in his work.

“Vinnie was someone who showed up in many ways for many different people at Branham,” Silbergeld said. “[Vinnie] managed and cared for his team really thoughtfully and with care [and] he always had a positive outlook on the work.” 

Silbergeld highlighted Ramos’ attention to detail in the work he performed daily, mentioning his commitment to keeping Branham up to standard.

“He took care of the school for a decade, so that Branham could be accessed,” Silbergeld said. “He set the foundation for the act.”

Throughout nearly his entire career at Branham, Ramos presided over fellow custodial staff member Raul Jimenez. Jimenez described him as an honorable person who was a pleasure to work with.

“We are saddened by his departure from Branham,” Jimenez said. “We worked together for a long time, and it was a wonderful experience — it was something very good for us.”

Jimenez noted how Ramos’ intelligence made him unique.

“He inspired me in such a way,” Jimenez said. “He was very intelligent — he always had a solution for everything.” 

Ramos’ impact went beyond that of a workplace associate for many of his coworkers, with Jimenez recalling him as someone he treated like family.

“He was always a good boss [and] left us a great legacy here,” Jimenez said. “We are going to miss him because he was like family here amongst all of us workers.”

Ramos played an important role in Branham’s community, and his passing leaves the community and those who knew and loved him personally grieving. 

“He will be deeply missed by his children, his brothers and sisters, his family, his friends, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,” Jonell Ramos said.

Jonell Ramos/Special to Bear Witness