Modesto Baldocchi

Modesto Angelo Baldocchi

Modesto “Desto” Angelo Baldocchi was born January 15, 1920, in Dos Palos, California, to Italian immigrants Guido and Mary (Ferretti) Baldocchi. He passed away in Dos Palos on October 6, 2016, at the age of 96.

Desto lived his entire life in Dos Palos, and at the time of his death was the oldest living resident born in this community. He was a 1939 graduate of Dos Palos High School and played on the basketball and baseball teams. Desto served in the U.S. Army in World War II as a mechanic where his tour of duty included France, Germany, and Austria. After the war he continued to work as a mechanic in Dos Palos for over 40 years as a partner in the Millett and Baldocchi Garage and later the B & C Garage. His hobbies included golf, gardening, curing olives, fishing, and water skiing. He also loved to tease, play practical jokes, and make people laugh.

He married Bernice Mae Fonseca in 1953 and had five daughters--Eileen, Jean, Nancy, Susan, and Angela. After the death of Bernice, he married Ruth Leona (Clark) Goodman in 1998.

He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife, and son-in-law Mike McAfee.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth; sisters Irma Hampton of Redding, CA, and Dora Quinn of Saratoga Springs, NY; daughters and sons-in-law Eileen and David Pistacchio of Fresno, CA; Jean McAfee of Bakersfield, CA; Nancy and Mike Morris of Puyallup, WA; Susan Baldocchi and Hans Dakhlia of Topanga, CA; and Angela and Philip Henry of Colbert, WA. Surviving grandchildren are James McAfee, Andrew McAfee, John Morris and wife Kristina, Christen (Morris) Cortez and husband Edgar, Lukas Dakhlia, Nikolas Dakhlia, Audrey Henry, Stuart Henry, Nathan Henry, Rebekah Henry, and great-grandson Gabriel Cortez. In addition to numerous nieces and nephews, Desto is also survived by step-sons Bill, Paul, and Ron Goodman.

Services will be on Thursday, October 13, 2016, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1650 Lucerne Ave., Dos Palos, CA 93620. Visitation will be at 9:30 A.M. with a rosary at 10:00 A.M. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial. He will be buried with military honors at the Dos Palos Cemetery.

Donations in memory of Desto can be made to the Dos Palos Memorial Skilled Nursing Facility, 2118 Marguerite St., Dos Palos, CA 93620.

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