Cornelio Bayon Obituary (1944 - 2024)

Cornelio Bayon, Jr., died at his home in Brawley on June 17, 2024, surrounded by his loving wife, son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, following an almost 12-year battle with metastatic prostate cancer. At the time of his death, he was two and one-half weeks away from what would have been his 80th birthday. Cornel, who was also known as Junior, was born on July 5, 1944, in rural Brawley to his parents Cornelio Bayon and Magdalena Flores. He attended 1st through 8th grades at Magnolia Union Elementary School in rural Brawley and graduated from Brawley Union High School in 1962. A three-sport athlete (football, track, and basketball) at BUHS, he was also the first Mexican-American to be elected student body president. Cornel married his high school sweetheart Sara Escalera in 1964, becoming a dedicated family man for the rest of his life. They had one child, their son Eric Paul Bayon, and relocated to the San Gabriel Valley within the greater Los Angeles area. Cornel completed his education by receiving an AA degree from East Los Angeles Community College in 1970 and a BS degree in business administration from California State University-Los Angeles in 1974. At that time, Cornel transitioned into the business and large lend-leasing field within the banking and high finance industry, working for Bank of America, Security Pacific National Bank, and GE Credit Corp in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, and Orange Counties, as well as the San Francisco Bay area, during a successful career that spanned nearly three decades. In 2008, he retired and returned to Brawley with Sara to help provide care for his beloved mother-in-law Connie Escalera. Although officially retired, Cornel re-entered the working world by working part-time for the Elections Department within the Imperial County Registrar of Voters office in El Centro. Cornel was predeceased by his parents, sisters Lupe Villa and Lydia Bayon, and brothers Frank Villa, Joe Bayon, Ruben Bayon, and George Bayon. Brother Ernesto Bayon has been missing since 1951, when he was age 2. Cornel is survived by his wife, son, daughter-in-law Ronnie Jacobson, grandson Miguel Dylan Bayon Jacobson, sister Josie Bayon Moore, and numerous nieces and nephews. From 6pm to 9pm on Monday, July 8, a wake and rosary (beginning at 7pm) will be held for Cornel at Frye Chapel and Mortuary at 799 South Brawley Avenue in Brawley. On Tuesday, July 9, a funeral Mass for Cornel will occur starting at 9am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 402 South Imperial Avenue in Brawley, immediately followed by a 30-minute interment service at Riverview Cemetery at 4700 Hovley Road in Brawley. After the conclusion of the interment service, a lunch reception will take place at Sacred Heart Church's community hall. The family asks that in lieu of flowers mourners consider making a donation in Cornel's honor and memory to the Prostate Cancer Foundation (www.pcf.org), the world's leading philanthropic organization dedicated to the research and eradication of prostate cancer.