{"id":259873,"date":"2026-04-09T20:06:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T20:06:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/259873\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T20:06:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T20:06:12","slug":"california-loses-a-legend-rod-diridon-sr-1939-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/259873\/","title":{"rendered":"California Loses a Legend: Rod Diridon Sr (1939-2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"

To paraphrase Hamlet, we \u201cshall not look upon his like again.\u201d This month, the South Bay lost a leader whose impact reached far beyond his home in Santa Clara County, to the state and the country.<\/p>\n

Rod Diridon Sr. died on Apr. 3, 2026, of complications of cancer. The longtime Santa Clara resident was 87, and remained engaged in public affairs to the end of his life.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve ever ridden the South Bay\u2019s light rail system, you\u2019re a beneficiary of Rod Diridon Sr.\u2019s decades of dedication to the South Bay and public transportation. Over the course of a career that spanned seven decades, Diridon became a public policy legend, best known locally as the driving force for the county\u2019s light rail system and his tireless advocacy of high-speed rail in California.<\/p>\n

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Rodney John Diridon Sr. was born in Siskiyou County, California, on Feb. 8, 1939. His affection for trains began with his job with the Southern Pacific Railroad from 1956 through 1963, working his way through a B.S. and M.S. from San Jos\u00e9 State University \u2014 where he was president of his senior class. Following SJSU, he served in active duty in the U.S. Navy from 1963 to 1967.<\/p>\n

Before he was 30, Rod Diridon Sr. had led Jaycees\u2019 campaigns to fluoridate water and abolish the Electoral College, chaired San Jos\u00e9\u2019s Community Improvement Committee, and served as president of the San Jos\u00e9 Jaycees.<\/p>\n

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By the time he was 35, he started a public research company, served on the Saratoga City Council and was beginning the first of six terms on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, representing District 4. During his time on the Board of Supervisors, he also chaired the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the Association of Bay Area Governments, and was the first person ever to chair all three of these regional agencies.<\/p>\n

Diridon didn\u2019t limit himself to policy; he took time to engage people to make changes in their daily lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was the first person that knew who really got involved with environmental issues,\u201d recalled Jeannie Mahan, whose late father, John, and sister Pat, both former Santa Clara mayors, were close to Diridon.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was far ahead of his time. He spoke to the Woman\u2019s Club about being green and sustainability: getting the right kind of car, recycling your trash, water-saving garden, solar, power. People were just starting to think about these things, but he was passionate. And transportation as a part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diridon led the creation of Santa Clara County Transportation Agency and the CalTrain Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board. He founded and chaired the Mineta Transportation Institute, led development of the U.S.\u2019 first Integrated Environmental Management Plan and Regional Transportation Master Plan, and chaired California\u2019s High Speed Rail Authority.<\/p>\n

His signature achievement was leading the development of local public rail projects, the first of which was the Guadalupe Corridor Light Rail, followed by the Tasman and Vasona projects, the CalTrain commuter rail extension, and the Altamont Express.<\/p>\n

As accomplished as he was, Diridon was generous in acknowledging others\u2019 achievements.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter we got CalTrain electrification back on track, after being stalled, he wrote congratulating me for bringing that back,\u201d remembered former Santa Clara Council Member John McLemore. \u201cWhen I was on the VTA, he always thanked me for pushing to bring BART to San Jos\u00e9. I was honored that he would thank me and I felt I would be walking in his footsteps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diridon was always generous in sharing his knowledge and experience, mentoring those who followed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cRod was a mentor to me for many years, having represented District 4 as a Santa Clara County Supervisor from 1975 to 1995,\u201d said County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg, who currently represents District 4. \u201cWe always called one another \u2018my Supervisor.\u2019 While formally linked by our office, we truly connected over our shared commitment to serving our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his personal life, Diridon was known for his care for the people around him. Longtime Santa Clara resident and political activist Shirley Odou shared a long friendship with Diridon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI first met him at the League of Conservation Voters, when they were giving an award to Anna Eshoo,\u201d said the 96-year-old Odou. \u201cI remember a fundraiser where they wanted to take a picture of the family, and asked me to be in the picture. I was so honored.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe spoke every few weeks,\u201d she continued. \u201cHe was always someone you could talk to, down to earth. He could always help you, whether you needed advice on advocating for something or you needed a plumber.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether you knew Diridon by reputation or personally, we all echo the sentiment of Supervisor Ellenberg: \u201cI will miss my friend, my Supervisor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diridon is survived by his wife, Dr. Gloria Duffy; son Rod Diridon Jr.; daughter Mary Margaret; and four grandchildren. You\u2019re invited to plant a tree in his memory: https:\/\/memoritree.com\/memorial\/rodney-john-diridon?tab=plant-tree<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Related Posts:
2024 Parade of Champions Braves Record Temperatures<\/a>
2024 Parade of Champions Grand Marshals: For Diridons, Public Service is a Family Tradition<\/a><\/p>\n

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