Louis Richard Calcagno

1936 - 2023

Louis Richard Calcagno passed away peacefully in his home overlooking the beautiful Elkhorn Slough on August 31st, 2023. His wife and childhood sweetheart of 67 years, Carol, was by his side and holding his hand as he left this world to be in Heaven with his parents, his brother John, and his sister Bella.
Louis, known as "Lou" to most, was born on his ranch in Moss Landing in the upstairs of the family home on June 30, 1936, to his Genovese immigrant parents, Peter and Clara Calcagno. Lou's father, Peter Calcagno, came to the USA on a boat from Italy in 1917 with his Uncle Nick Delfino. In 1926, his father and Uncle purchased a farm in Moss Landing and began their vegetable farming business, which would eventually become Moon Glow Dairy. Lou always had a passion for animals. While attending Salinas High School, Lou was an active member of Future Farmers of America, showing dairy cattle at local fairs, a member of the livestock judging team and was President of the Salinas FFA Chapter. Carol Lanini, later to be Lou's wife was an active member of the Hartnell 4-H Club and showed Southdown sheep at local fairs. Together with their love for animals and each other, they developed an inseparable bond. After graduating from Salinas High School, Lou, along with his first cow, Rosemary, attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where he majored in Dairy Manufacturing and worked in the Cal Poly Creamery. Lou was also President of the Cal Poly Dairy Club. While writing this obituary, Carol said that Lou still has Rosemary's #28 neck chain number in his top desk drawer! While at Cal Poly, Lou missed Carol so much, that he came home and married her and then immediately brought her to the "Cow Palace Dairy Show" in San Francisco for their honeymoon because he had been chosen at Cal Poly to be in charge of the Dairy Department at the Cow Palace. Quite a Honeymoon for two animal lovers! Upon leaving Cal Poly, Lou and Carol came home to Moss Landing with 15 cows in tow and started their dream dairy business and family.
Even as a young man, Lou was passionate about politics and the conservation of farmland and water. He won first place in a National FFA Public Speaking Contest while at Salinas High School with his speech on "Conservation of Water in the Western States". By the 1990's, Lou had become a national dairy industry leader and was President of the National Dairy Promotion Board. Lou's success as a political figure in the dairy industry led to his appointment, by Governor Pete Wilson, to the California Coastal Commission. When Lou ran for Monterey County Supervisor in the late 1990's, he planned on only serving a single term, but he was passionate about so many key issues, he decided to run for re-election again, and in the end served four terms. Lou never pursued the position for financial gain. He truly loved the land and was passionate about protecting Monterey County for future generations.
During his political career, Lou was proudest of the work he did bringing Castro Plaza and the Andy Ausonio Library to Castroville, the opening of Pajaro Park, his roles in the Monterey County Ag Land Trust, the Elkhorn Slough Foundation and AgKnowledge and FocusAg, where he and Carol and their family annually hosted busloads of future county leaders for an inspirational talk about the importance of agriculture and a tasty barbecue. He led the changes at Natividad Medical Center that narrowly avoided its closure; and, he was instrumental in the County's acquisition of the Capital One facility in south Salinas that provided much needed space for the Elections Department, Records Storage and the Resource Management Agency while freeing space for the District Attorney, the Public Defender and other departments at the County Government Center. As a board member at TAMC, he led the charge for the Prunedale Improvement Project as well as the Salinas Road Interchange Project, which is considered one of the most beautiful highway projects in the state. As a board member of the Monterey County Water Resources Agency, Lou also prided himself on his work on the Salinas Valley Water Project and the Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project, which has kept thousands of acres of farmland in production in North County. When all is said and done Lou said that he wants to be remembered simply as someone who "cared for the community and the people who lived there and for agriculture and the agricultural heritage of the Salinas Valley."
Lou is survived by his wife and childhood sweetheart of 67 years, Carol, his son Louie and wife Carolynn, his daughter Debbie Soares, his 3 grandchildren Adam Soares and Colleen, Lauren Singh and Raj and Jennifer Calcagno. Also his 3 great-grandchildren: Bradley, Audra and Sienna Soares and his step-grandchildren, Tony Dahl and Tammy Dahl Mayes. Also his long time herdsman at the dairy, Manuel Zavala, who has been by his side for 29 years, and in the final months of his life was always there for him no matter what the circumstances. He loved you Manuel!
Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 10, 2023 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Struve and Laporte Chapel, 41 W. San Luis St. Salinas, CA. 93901. Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, September 11, 2023 at 9:30 am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church 22 Stone St. Salinas, CA. 93901. Private Family Burial will be held the next day at the Castroville Cemetery in Moss Landing. A reception in Lou's honor to celebrate his life will be held at the Salinas Elks Lodge from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm on that same day. All Family and friends are welcome to attend.
Donations may be made to the Lou Calcagno Memorial Scholarship Fund at Agri-Culture, 141 Monte Vista Avenue, Watsonville, CA 95076 (Make checks payable to Agri-Culture), or to Palma School, in memory of Lou Calcagno, 919 Iverson Street, Salinas, CA 93901. (Make checks payable to Palma School).
Online condolences to www.struveandlaporte.com