Barry Del Buono, 74, was a force of nature in San Jose’s nonprofit community

Barry Del Buono, who died Dec. 26 after a battle with cancer, played many roles in his 74 years. He was a former priest. A  husband and father. A longtime nonprofit leader. And a homeless advocate who spent his third act as a teacher.

“Barry’s arc was not just the homeless,” said his son, Don Ho. “It was improving the livelihoods of people.”

That certainly seemed to be his life’s mission. Maile Del Buono, his wife for the past 19 years, said people who remembered him from his days...