John Calandri

JOHN CALANDRI Long Time Onion Farmer Services have been held for John Calandri, 77. Mr. Calandri was born in the San Fernando Valley on February 3, 1926. Passed away on July 7, 2003 from ALS (Lou Gehrigs disease). John grew up in the San Fernando Valley on Van Nuys Boulevard, and went to Haddon Street Grammar School and San Fernando High School. He moved to the Antelope Valley in 1945 where he started his farming career growing Onions, although he has grown alfalfa, tomatoes, carrots, yams, sugar beets, lettuce, cantaloupes, and watermelons. But his pride and joy was growing onions. He gained international fame for his onions and put Lancaster on the produce map. John Calandri Farms, Inc. grew to become a major local industry, employing as many as 400 people in the peak season with a year-round staff of 60 people. His onions, Antelope brand, are delivered directly to markets across the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. He enjoyed giving back to his community. His charitable donations were unlimited, donating to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, local baseball and soccer teams, A ntelope Valley Fair Kiwanis Livestock Auction, Desert Haven Auctions, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, law enforcement Baker-to-Vegas run, the Antelope Valley Indian Museum, Palmdale, Lancaster and Rosamond Library, Rosamond Elementary School, Rosamond High School, Paraclete High School, and other Antelope Valley High Schools and always remembered Haddon Street Grammar School and San Fernando High. He was a sponsor to the Farmers Market at the Palmdale Fall Festival, and enjoyed coaching Colt League in his younger years. He was a long time member of the Farm Bureau, a director of Bakersfield Production Credit Association and a member of the National Onion Association. He and his wife, Barbara, were married April 23, 1950, in San Fernando. In 2000, the couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his son, John and his wife, Shannon; a daughter, Katherine J. Calandri-Lewis; a son-in-law, Jeff Lewis; six grandchildren and one great grandson; sist er, Frances Houser of Visalia and numerous nieces and nephews. Another son, Robert T. Calandri, died of Cystic Fibrosis in 1994. John was a loving and giving husband, father, uncle and friend. He touched a lot of lives with his generosity, his love for sports, his knowledge in farming and his willingness and ability to persevere and achieve. His smile and contagious laugh will be greatly missed by everyone. Donations in Mr. Calandri's name may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, P.O. Box 96 305, Washington, DC 20090-6305 or the ALC, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association, P.O. Box 504, Franklin, MA 02038-0504. MISSION HILLS CATHOLIC MORTUARY Directors 818-361-7387