Louis Uribe

Anyone who knew him loved him – he had a larger-than-life personality and was just that likeable kind of guy. He was the life of the party and had the best voice, the best laugh, and a was a master storyteller.

King Louie led what one would call an interesting and unconventional life. He graduated from North Salinas High School in 1966 and soon after began his lifelong career in the agriculture industry. During the 1970s, he moved his young family to Bakersfield, CA for a new adventure: assisting in starting up Bakersfield’s International Brotherhood of Teamsters local chapter and becoming president of it. This is where Louie played a small part in history and he had the stories to prove it. It was a tumultuous time of organized labor and Cesar Chavez was his arch nemesis. Chavez was the founder of the UFW and Louie was president of the Teamsters local in Kern County. They were both vying to organize the same farm laborers. He traveled all over debating Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and even had sit down meetings with then-Governor Jerry Brown about issues relating to farm labor.

One of Louie’s most memorable stories is about the time he was in the middle of a lawsuit against the Teamsters – and Frank Fitzsimmons (Jimmy Hoffa’s successor/president of the Teamsters union) had requested a personal meeting to “discuss those private matters.” Louie said he was scared and knew that his life could be in danger, but he walked in and held his own that day. He fought “the law” (back then, the Teamsters was the law) and the law won – but with his gift of gab he was able to come out of it alive.

Louie went on to have a career in all things agriculture spanning more than 50 years which carried him through several states. In the latter part, he found his niche in the safety side of the industry and was a safety consultant for many of the big farms in the Salinas Valley. Taking care of the farm laborers was always a cause close to his heart.

Now everyone caught a glimpse into why King Louie was dubbed the Most Interesting Man in the World. Not only did he bear an uncanny resemblance to the Dos Equis beer spokesman (and also Kenny Rogers), he just had the ability to draw anyone in with his animated voice and mesmerizing stories. The saddest part is that all those stories, along with his colorful past, have died with him. He always would say that he had to wait for two more people to die before he could write his book and reveal where Hoffa is buried. Those of us that know him still aren’t sure if he was serious or not.

Several years ago, Louie told his daughter that he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. We know he was a believer and is now rejoicing in Heaven, reunited with his Creator – no longer sick or in pain.

Louie was a dreamer, a road warrior, a rambling man with a gypsy soul. He was one of a kind and his joyful laugh will be missed greatly. We can all hear him saying in his Wolfman Jack voice, signing off for the final time: “The King has left the building.”

Louie is survived by his loving mother Wanda Uribe, his son Aaron Uribe (wife, Shannon), his daughter Amber Ellis (husband, Shane), his siblings Don (wife, Kotomi), Wanda, Hazel, and Belinda (husband, Sam), grandchildren Taylor, Jakob, Kaden, Cooper, and Layla, and his wife Rosa.