Bruno Angelo Filice
Sep. 28, 1924 - Jul. 11, 2016
Resident of Danville
Bruno Filice, of Danville, was born in Gilroy, California, to Ciccillo and Clementina Filice. He passed peacefully at Brookdale Assisted Living in Danville.
Ciccillo and Clementina were part of the mass immigration of Italians who came to the US between 1900 and 1914. Bruno's family, the Filices, Bozzos and Fortinos, came from Calabria, in Southern Italy, and settled in Gilroy, Bruno growing up with numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. After this idyllic childhood, these close family ties remained an important part of Bruno's life.
Bruno was called to active duty during World War II and served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps from August 1943 to May 1946. He saw action in Italy, stationed for a time in Florence, surrounded by German soldiers, and in France, where he survived a bombing attack on his jeep. Bruno told sobering stories of watching German soldiers in the surrounding hills at night, their location discernible by the glow of their cigarettes, and then running through the streets of Florence to see a movie at the local theater.
He met and married Pearl Elizabeth Hackney, of Spencer, North Carolina, at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, where she worked for the Army. After marrying on July 29th, 1945, they came west to live in Gilroy, where Bruno studied food technology at the University of California.
Their first daughter, Carol, was born in Gilroy in 1947.
In 1951, the family moved to Richmond, California, where Bruno joined the Filice and Perrelli Canning Company as a food technologist. The company was founded by members of the Filice and Perrelli families, in 1914. In 1953, he became the Manager for Research and Quality Control. In 1964, F&P merged with four other canners to become California Canners and Growers, the nation's largest fruit and vegetable canning cooperative.
The family moved to Pinole and in 1957, their second daughter, Anne, was born. Pinole was a growing town; Bruno cared about the direction the city took, with concern that the city grow while preserving open space. In 1962, he was elected to the Pinole City Council, and subsequently became mayor.
A citizen's committee approached Bruno with a proposal to celebrate the city's Hispanic heritage. Bruno and the City Council responded with what was called "characteristic Pinolean speed" and the Fiesta Del Pinole was born, which became an important Bay Area tradition.
During the 1964 merger of F&P Canning with CC&G, Bruno became Director of Quality Control and in 1966, Director of Field Operations. In 1967, he was elected Vice President for Field Operations, and was appointed to a seat on the Board of Directors.
In 1973, Bruno and his family moved to Danville.
In 1983, Tri-Valley Growers took over CC&G and Bruno, after a 37 year career, retired from Tri-Valley Growers in 1988.
For years afterward, Bruno represented an American import company and traveled to Thailand and China, setting up business relationships with companies there.
Bruno was active in many organizations, such as the California Tomato and Cling Peach Advisory Boards, and as Chairman of the Institute of Food Technology, President of the Canning League, and Old Guard, among others. A highlight was his participation in the Codex Alimentarius activities of the World Health Organization where he was selected to be a member of the U.S. delegation to European conferences. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Bruno and Pearl belonged to two bridge clubs and the Pinole Town and Valley Dance Club. He loved his cabin in Tahoe. He enjoyed a standing round of gin rummy with his long-time friends every Saturday at Blackhawk Country Club, all the way up to his 90th year. He loved his mother's Calabrese cooking and dinners with his extended and immediate families. He planned the menu for holidays a year ahead.
He loved Italian opera, and was supremely proud of his Italian heritage. Most of all, he loved his family and took extraordinary delight in his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ciccillo and Clementina, his sister, Mary Cutter, brother, Frank Filice, and niece, Susan Bedolla. He is survived by his loving wife of 71 years, Pearl, sister Joyce Marks (Bobby), of Gilroy, and her family, by his daughter, Carol Ritchie (Dennis) of Dublin, and their son Scott (Kim) and their daughters, Sydney and Kailey, of Livermore. He is also survived by Carol and Dennis's son, Ryan, of Dublin. Ryan and Bruno had a special relationship, sharing their enthusiasm for the Cal Bears, the 49er's, the Oakland A's and trains.
Also survived by daughter, Anne Gilbertson (Brad), their daughter, Noe-Marie Murphy, and her sons, Cole and Nolan, all of Danville, and numerous cousins and nephews.
A Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated at 10:30am on Saturday, July 23, at St. Isidore Church, 440 La Gonda Way, Danville, CA. A luncheon reception will follow at the church hall. Bruno loved people, so please come and celebrate his life.
Bruno volunteered with the St. Vincent de Paul Society. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his name, to Society of St. Vincent de Paul, National Council of the United States, 58 Progress Parkway, Maryland Heights, MO 63043-3706, or through their website at http://www.svdpusa.org/Donate.
Andare con amore, Bruno.

View the online memorial for Bruno Angelo Filice