Mario Ricci Obituary

Name: Memorial service for Mario Ricci
Start: 2014-12-13T22:00:00.000Z
Location: St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church

Mario Ricci

December 8, 1924- December 6, 2014

Mario Ricci of San Mateo was born in Arce (Frosinone) Italy, the son of Domenico and Tomasina Ricci. He died on December 6 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, California.

At age 12, Mario emigrated with his family from Italy to Providence, Rhode Island, where he was raised. He served as radioman reporting enemy positions to the 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion from 1943 to 1945, with whom he landed at Salerno, again at the Anzio beachhead, and once again at Sainte-Maxime. He was one of the few survivors when the Germans retook Briancon in 1944, moved with the US Army across the Rhine, and finished the war in Austria. Mario recorded his wartime memories in a book, Cease Fire, which recently went to a second printing. In 2004 ceremonies, he was honored by the city of Briançon for his role in its liberation. In 2008, he was invited to a commemoration of the 83rd Chemical Battalion at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

After the war he attended the University of Rhode Island. After a visit to Modesto, California in 1950, he encouraged his brothers and sisters to move there with him because it was so like Italy. In January 1955 Mario married Barbara Glenn in San Francisco. Mario was master still-maker for E & J Gallo in Fresno, later in Livingston. In 1957, he moved into management of the Wine, Distillery and Allied Workers local for the Pacific Coast, and started as Secretary in charge of a small number of local shops, chiefly in warehousing. Under Mario, the local grew with the California wine industry to include very many wineries throughout the state, and several food processors as well. Since 1970 and until recently, Mario was employed by the Gallo Distributing Company.

Mario loved to travel in Europe and returned many times to Italy. He was a woodworker and the homes of friends and family displayed the results of hours he spent at his workbench. Mario joined the California Rare Fruit Growers and from them, learned to graft fruit trees. As a result his backyard was filled with fruit trees, each producing multiple varieties.

Mario was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Peter and Robert and his sisters Ann Ricci, Marie Russo and Livia Fraioli. He is survived by his wife, Barbara of San Mateo, three children: Mark (Jane) of Lodi, Maria (Valeri) Radchenko of San Mateo, and Paul (Nicole) of Woodside, and by five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters, Angela (Charles) Krukiel of Belmont and Shirley (Frank) Cantele of Modesto and by numerous nieces and nephews.

Mario will be deeply missed by his family and friends. A memorial will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday December 13 at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Burlingame. Gifts are suggested to the ALS Association.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle from Dec. 10 to Dec. 11, 2014.

Memories and Condolences
for Mario Ricci

10 Entries

Jon Hoornstra

December 5, 2019

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.

Elaine Lou

January 8, 2015

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 pleasure of knowing. I would often say that he would be the perfect mate... smart, good looking, compassionate, and athletic, not to mention comfortable in the kitchen or in the wood shop or sewing room. (Barbara was a lucky woman!) Mario had an incredible memory, too. Indeed, he was a modern day Renaissance man. Above all Mario was kind, generous, devoted to his family and friends and gave of himself to all that crossed his path. He lived each day to the fullest. Always productive and working on a new project. I don't know how it managed to do it all. (I still have a clock that I wanted him to look at.) In quiet moments, Mario could always be found expanding his mind with a good book, but eager and ready to share a good story with those around him. I'm so very honored to have known Mario. Words cannot express how much I will miss my dear friend.

Jon Hoornstra

December 21, 2014

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, kind and generous beyond measure, always ready to help family and friends. I will miss him. It was a gift that our paths crossed and that became friends.

Marsha Goff

December 17, 2014

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.

Corrie Grové

December 15, 2014

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.

Susan Casner-Kay

December 13, 2014

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 when he would come to meetings, we would chat and I continued to enjoy his wisdom and his smile. He will be missed.

Laurie Graham

December 13, 2014

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 :)

Sini Falkowski

December 13, 2014

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.

December 11, 2014

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

Meri Bozzini

December 10, 2014

It was an honor to know Mario. My condolences to the family.

Meri Bozzini
(Friend and former college roommate of Monica Ricci)

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