Louis Patrick Barcellos

1920 - 2010

Louis Patrick Barcellos died on Feb 18, 2010 at home in Lodi, CA, in the gentle arms of his family.  He was 90. It is the family's hope that his life long faith has led him to a place of eternal peace with our mother Patricia Alma Barcellos and their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Louis was born February 1, 1920 in San Jose, CA to Luis Vierra Barcellos II and Maria R. Souza Barcellos. He graduated from San Jose High School in 1938, where he met Patricia. They were married January 19, 1941 in San Jose, CA at St. Patrick Catholic Church.
Louis worked in the grocery business for P&W Markets in San Jose and as a machinist at Westinghouse in Sunnyvale, Ca. until he entered military service in 1942.  He served honorably with the US Army 280th Field Artillery Battalion in Europe, where he saw combat in the Ardennes region of Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge.  
After the war he returned to his job at Westinghouse and a brief residence in Los Gatos, Ca. In 1949 Pat and Louie entered the dairy business, farming in Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill. They and their growing family were active members of the St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church in Morgan Hill. In the early 1960's, they actively participated in the building the St. Martin Religious Education Hall in San Martin, the parish hall on Dunne Avenue and a new Church and Parochial School on  Peak Ave, Morgan Hill. 
In 1967, he accepted the challenge of managing a regional dairyman's organization, then operating in Oakland, The Associated Dairyman.  In 1968 he relocated that organization and his family to Lodi, CA. At Associated Dairymen, Louis worked closely with economists, educators, bureaucrats and legislators, as well as the growing membership. He demonstrated an encyclopedic command of the history and details of the complicated California milk price support programs. His ability to marshal facts and articulate solutions helped unify the interests of dairy farmers and some milk processors in the state. Louis retired from Associated Dairymen in 1982. His life and career story is featured in the scholarly book "The Portuguese Californians – Immigrants in Agriculture" (2004) by Alvin Graves, PhD
In retirement Louis was an active golfer. He and Patricia also enjoyed trips to the coast, continuing a trans-generational tradition of smelt fishing trips Louis inherited from his father and shared with friends and family. Louis especially enjoyed his role as patriarch of his ever growing family. When Patricia's health began to decline about 1998, he totally dedicated himself to her care. They lived those years in Woodland and Elk Grove until her death in August 2004. In 2007 Louis returned to Lodi to live with and be in the loving care of his youngest daughter Faith and her husband Eugene Thompson.
Louis was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Patricia, his sisters Angeline Soto and Josephine Barcellos, half-brother Serafine Barcellos, and newborn child Hope Mary.  He is survived by sister Marie Escover of Fremont and eight children: Glenn of San Jose, Dale of Campbell, Bernard of Eugene, Chris of Elk Grove, Robert of Woodland, Ellen Martinez of Woodland, Mark of Tulare, and Faith Thompson of Lodi.  He is also survived by 21 grandchildren, and 26 great-grandchildren living in California and Oregon.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary and Celebration of Life to be held Thursday Feb 25, at 7 PM, at Lodi Funeral Home 725 Fairmont Ave, Lodi, CA with viewing starting on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, Feb 26 at 11:00 a.m. at the Five Wounds Portuguese National Church in San Jose, CA with interment following thereafter at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in San Jose, CA.