Livio Mazzei

1933 - 2025

LIVIO MAZZEI

September 26, 1933 – August 1, 2025

Livio passed away peacefully on August 1st, 2025. He was the second of five born to Amedeo and Sylvia Mazzei on September 26, 1933. He grew up on a small vegetable farm in Fresno watching crops grow. He graduated from Central Union High School in 1951 having not missed a single day for four years. He was student body president, junior class president, sergeant of arms of the student body and a member of the California Scholarship Federation. He graduated from Fresno State College in 1955 with a degree in Business Administration. He was a member of the Cardinal Key and the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He proudly served in the United States Army stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington.

Beginning in 1951, he started working each summer for Mazzei Farms in Arvin, a large farming enterprise owned by Uncle Bill Mazzei. This was the beginning of learning the produce business on a national scale. He served on the board of directors of the Potato Growers Association of California. From 1959 he was primarily involved with produce sales including branch operations in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

In September 1972 he, along with Tom Franconi Sr., established Mazzei-Franconi Company, a marketing company representing many growers in Kern County and other parts of the state. He was a past member of the Western Growers Association, the Produce Marketing Association, and the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association.

In 2018, at age 85, Livio retired to tend to his vegetable garden in the backyard thus completing a lifetime of watching crops grow.

Livio loved to play golf and was a longtime member of the Bakersfield Country Club. He was a supporter of Fresno State sports, especially football, and a member of the Bulldogs Foundation for many years. He was also a supporter of Bakersfield College football Renegades and the Century Club.

Livio believed in giving back to the community and contributed generously to local charities and scholarship programs.

Livio is survived by his wife, Ronda, daughters Lisa and Tina Mazzei, Ronda's sons Craig and Chris Todd. He is also survived by his four siblings Enrico Mazzei, Gloria Eichman (husband Ben) and Norma Salinas (husband Richard) and Angelo Mazzei (wife Mary) along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

The family would like to thank Home Instead for their services and the excellent helpers: Rosemary, Virginia and Lucy as well as Hoffman Hospice for their love and support. A special thank you goes to his niece and nephew, Mike and Tamara Mazzei for their constant care.

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