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IS YOUR PET ON JOE’S

“PET WALL OF FAME”?

By Joe Penaflor Jr.

94-year-old Club at WestPark resident Joe Penaflor has been a part-time artist for most of
his life. He first found out he had a talent for art when he was 18 and serving on the U.S.S.
Piedmont, a Navy Destroyer Tender. During some idle time, he drew the ships mascot on a
piece of paper. His Captain happened to see it and asked if he could paint a life size version
next to a door. He said, “Yes Sir!” The fact he had never done it before didn’t matter. He
was going to figure it out and he did. The Mascot portrait was a huge success. This was
somewhat a revelation for Joe. He realized that he could draw or paint something that could
make people feel good and in turn make him feel good.
Throughout most of his life, Joe has enjoyed many other hobbies such as golf, magic, music,
to even flying his own airplane. But painting has always been his passion. Now, years later,
well after he retired as a Fire Captain for the City of San Jose, Joe and his wife Mary moved
to Roseville to be closer to their daughter Elena. They found this nice community and set-
tled in 10 years ago.
One day, he happened to see his neighbor walking his dog across the street. He was looking
for something to keep himself busy and thought he would try his hand at painting animals.
He struck up a conversation and asked the neighbor if he had a photo of his pet so he could
paint it for him. The neighbor said yes.
Thus began the “Pet Wall of Fame” on the wall of his garage. 170+ pet paintings later, Joe Penaflor has created cherished mementos for
not only his neighbors in this community but for his family and friends, and pretty much anyone they know that has or has lost a pet. It’s some-
thing he does not for fame or fortune. He never asks for or takes money for the paintings. He does it because, after having lost a pet at an early
age himself, he knows how special a pet can be.
Here are a few of the “Inductees”:

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