Ambrose Brusatori

Ambrose Brusatori, the third of Antonio and Giuseppina Brusatori's four sons, was born August 22, 1926. He lived on the family ranch off Shake Ridge Road until they moved to town in Sutter Creek.

Ambrose attended schools in Sutter Creek through graduation from Sutter Creek High School in 1945. While a senior at Sutter Creek High School, he began his career as a school bus driver, driving the route serving Pine Grove and Amador Pines. At the end of the day, he drove students home and stayed with the Ball family, the last stop on the bus route. The next morning Ambrose would drive the bus back to school, loading up the Ball family and collecting students along the route. He even used the bus to shuttle parts to the logging camps. This was one of his first public demonstrations of his "get stuff done" work ethic.

Ambrose served in the Army in the 707th Ordinance Maintenance Company in Korea. While serving, he expanded his mechanical knowledge, and occasionally, he would check out a Jeep to his friend Sharkey Begovich, so he could check out the nightlife in town. Ambrose always thought of and helped out his family and good friends.

After Korea, Ambrose returned to his sweetheart and to bus driving. Ambrose married the love of his life Irma (Rettagliata) on June 11, 1950. They celebrated 75 years together this year! Ambrose and Irma raised their three sons, Leonard, Raymond and Lester in Sutter Creek.

On Saturdays, Sundays, and school breaks, he taught his sons the value of a day's work, which was not limited to 8 hours. This instilled his legendary work ethic for generations to come. His family would often take road trips in the summer where they visited national parks including Yellowstone. Like many of the good Italians, he was a gardener proud of his tomatoes and sweet red onions. Ambrose would share his bounty with friends, delivering paper grocery sacks full of onions and tomatoes, often accompanied by one or two of his beloved Cocker Spaniels, Guy, Friskey or Dusty. He would fondly say," There is nothing like a tomato off of the vine." Ambrose continued to drive bus and over the years he transported generations of families to school serving the Shenandoah Valley route. After more than 40 years of driving bus, logging over 1.5 million miles, performing maintenance on school buses and school grounds, Ambrose retired. During his career as a bus driver, he never missed one day of work, not one sick day, not one interruption to his service.

Retirement did not slow him down. He spent a month in Italy observing the lands his parents left behind to start a new life in California. He helped his sons with projects ranging from remodels to construction of new homes. He helped his grandchildren change the oil in their vehicles and helped a few of them build homes of their own. Not even a broken neck, which he earned on a jobsite, could stop him from showing up. He put on his boots and neck brace and was back at it, without the blessings of his good doctors! Between his daily work tasks, Ambrose would make his rounds of social calls visiting Jack's Chevron, and the Firehouse in Sutter Creek, giving a friendly open-handed wave to those he recognized through the windshield of his pickup. Ambrose traveled to watch his great grandchildren play soccer, baseball and basketball. He valued every day and was generous with his time. Ambrose continued his physical labors into his 95th year, weed-eating and blowing leaves. He kept his mind sharp by engaging in lively arguments with his sons or grandsons.

Ambrose is survived by his love Irma, his sons, Leonard (Kim), Ray (Barbara), Les (Judy), grandchildren Misty (Paul), Aaron (Steffani), Brett (Courtney), Lee, Larry, Loren (Karen), and Kyle. Great Grandchildren; Dominic, Vince, Quentin, Sofia, Lucas, Jasper, Audrey, Drew, Austin, Bevin, Corin, and Hayden.

Ambrose fully retired on October 31, 2025, in Jackson California and has now become Ambrose Brusatori, Patron Saint of Work Ethic. Family and old friends are invited to a celebration of life at the Sutter Creek Firehouse on November 29th at 11:00am.