Mario Ricci

Here we are nearing the end of 2019 and Mario continues to be a part of conversations with mutual friends. For me, Mario's legacy is my memories of him, all positive, and learning his life story through his book, "Cease Fire." Thank you, Mario.

I met Mario around 2001 or 2002 when I joined CRFG. He was very welcoming and ever friendly, eager to discuss the best fruit tree. He was persistent about establishing a friendship and invited me and my family to many a lovely meal, alfresco, in his orchard. The meals were always Italian and always home cooked. The sharp banter between Mario and Barbara was endlessly entertaining. Though Mario turned down UC Berkeley, he was one of the smartest and most talented men I've had the...

Mario Ricci and I met in the mid-1990s, but later became collaborators in his effort to document in book form his many life stories, including experience as a radio operator with the U.S. Army in World War II. I soon realized what a special gift it was to know Mario, able to talk at length and learn from his life experiences, events that spanned so many years, from Italy to California, through a world war, and finally in California's wine industry. Mario was unusually smart, full of humor,...

I never met Mario in person, but he and I corresponded by letter, phone and email. I am so sorry he missed his 90th birthday party he was so looking forward to having. It is unusual for me to have affection for someone I never personally met, but I will miss him greatly. My heart goes out to his family and Myrtle the Turtle who frequented his backyard.

I spent much time with Mario, never dull, he was a great story ( truths) teller about his vast experiences. But to me the first thoughts are: generosity, friendly, personable. In one of my many memories , two kids walked into his shop and asked for piece of wood to build something for a school project, Mario listed to what they were going to build and spent the rest of the day guiding them through the project in his shop.

I remember Mario sitting near the speakers (and occasionally nodding off) when I first started coming to CRFG meetings in about 2000. But I did not really meet him until he agreed to open his garden for a tour. Then I got to know the full pleasure of his smile and hospitality! He was justifiably proud of his garden and fruit trees, including a fig tree with multiple grafts - a particularly difficult tree to graft. On that day I took home a large container of fantastic mulberries. Thereafter...

I grew up with Mario's granddaughter, Shalom. With my own grandparents either deceased or living far away, Mario felt like my surrogate grandfather & I will truly miss him. He always had so many fascinating stories & I could listen to him talk all day :)

Mario was a most generous man with his time and his knowledge. He always had a smile for those he met. He will be greatly missed. I first met him at a Calif. Rare Fruit meeting and he was an enthusiastic participater.

Mario was a large than life member of our family. His generosity to my grandfather, his Uncle Frank was limitless. Taking his cousins Teresa and Bob to visit his was an honor. Marilyn Stoner