Edwin "Eddie" Tognetti

1943 - 2025

Edwin (Eddie) Tognetti unexpectedly passed away from a sudden illness at the age of 82 on Saturday, June 21, 2025. He was surrounded by his many heartbroken loved ones.

Eddie was born on April 4, 1943 in Gilroy, California to Mary and Ed Tognetti. He attended Gilroy schools - Eliot Elementary, Brownell Middle School and Gilroy High School, graduating in 1961. After attending Hartnell Junior College for two years he was accepted to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA. In 1965 he married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn Rizzi. They celebrated 60 years of a beautiful marriage this year on February 20. The newlyweds moved to San Luis Obispo for the last year of Eddie’s college. He graduated in 1966 with a degree in Crop Science in preparation for his career as a farmer in Gilroy.

Eddie first worked for his father-in-law, Vic Rizzi, as a manager and driver in his new beverage distributorship in Salinas, CA. The family bought their first home there where they made lifelong friendships with many of their neighbors.   Three years later, when his dad’s long-time partner retired, Eddie was able to join his dad in the Gilroy farming business. 

After his dad retired, Eddie continued farming in Gilroy, but also joined a few other Gilroy farmers in different ventures. He partnered with Bob Kishimura and farmed tomatoes and cotton in the Los Banos area and he worked with Don Christopher growing and harvesting garlic in the area near Harris Ranch in the Central Valley. In 1972, he and Carolyn opened their first cherry stand along Monterey Hwy, named The Merry Cherry Stand and in 1986 they partnered with neighboring property owner, Don Christopher to build a large fruit stand called Garlic World on101 Hwy. south of Gilroy. He also became a partner with fellow farmer, Dirk Buchser and they established the joint venture called B and T Farms which continues today and has become one of the largest farming operations in the Gilroy area. They raise many different row crops as well as cherries. Eddie’s son, Gary and two grandsons, Dean Tognetti and Michael Sosa along with Paul Mirassou are now continuing the business.

Eddie was a simple man with simple pleasures in life. He was known as a character, jokester, hard-worker, and hard task-master with a fiery temper, but also so very generous, kind, caring and compassionate. He loved nothing more than helping people. He loved being a farmer and driving his tractor and he fiercely loved his wife, children and grandchildren. The most important thing in life to him was taking care of and providing for them. He instilled in them the values of working hard and being generous. His joys in life were spending time with his family and attending the many baseball, softball, football, basketball, lacrosse and soccer games his children and grandchildren participated in. He loved taking long Sunday morning walks with his two daughters and the family dogs.In past years he looked forward to his annual deer hunting trips and weekly poker nights in the barn on his farm. He avidly hunted for duck, deer, elk and bighorn sheep. And he loved all of the dogs and cats that came into his life over the years, many showing up at his farms as strays that he adopted and took home to raise.

He is survived by those who loved and adored him - his wife, Carolyn, his children, Nancy Sosa, Andrea Castro, Gary Tognetti (Natalie), and Tony Tognetti (Kelsey), his grandchildren, Matthew, Michelle, Michael and Mark Sosa, Lauren and Andrew Castro, Leah, Dean, Sophia and Nathan Tognetti, Nolan, Brady and Logan Tognetti, his sister, Carol Coryell, sister-in-laws, Julie Nelson (Jim) and Karen Christopher.  He also leaves his loving and loyal caregiver, Kathy Napolitano, who cared for him the past four years as his abilities to care for himself declined due to Vascular Dementia and his B & T Farms bookkeeper for over 30 years, Penny Lockhart.

He rests in peace and is reunited with his parents Mary and Ed Tognetti, his in-laws, Vic and Gloria Rizzi and his grandparents, Maggie and Pete Tognetti and Jennie and Attilio Galetti, and his brother-in-law, Vic Rizzi, Jr., his aunts, uncles, cousins and friends - especially his farming partner, Dirk Buchser and deer hunting buddy, Louie Trinchero.

A vigil service will be Monday, June 30, 2025 with visitation beginning at 5:00 pm and service at 7:00 pm at Habing Family Funeral Home at 129 4th Street, Gilroy, CA. Funeral Mass and burial on Tuesday, July 1, 2025 at 10:00 AM at St. Mary Parish, 11 First Street, Gilroy, CA.

Donations in Eddie’s memory can be made to Jakes Wish Rescue, PO Box 1345, San Martin, CA 95046 or any charity of your choice.