LLOYD RAYMOND RISSO of Manteca reached the end of his earthly journey on January 2, 2013 in Manteca. He was the youngest of three brothers, born in Colma on Jan. 18, 1920 to Italian immigrants Giovanni and Lucia (Carello) Risso. He grew up on the dairy farm that his parents started when they were married in 1906.
Lloyd Risso was a lifelong dairy farmer, following the agricultural tradition set by his parents. He owned and operated dairies in Colma, Mountain View, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Petaluma, Tracy, Hilmar and Turlock. He also had a ranch in Oakdale where he raised cattle, primarily Black Angus. The dairies in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley, one by one, were sold to give way to progress as the communities grew. Some of his dairy farms are now freeways and commercial centers. A section of Highway 280 runs through the middle of one of his old dairies.
After the closure of his dairies in the Bay Area, Lloyd Risso moved to the San Joaquin Valley and opened a dairy in Tracy where Mountain House, San Joaquin County’s newest community, is now located. After that, he had dairies in Hilmar and Turlock. All the while he was farming in the valley, he and his late wife, Mary, lived in Manteca. He was a hands-on dairy farmer. He took care of all of his dairy operations, even when he had five at one time, and was at work every day even though he had hired workers to take care of the milking and other chores such as feeding the cows. He never took a single day off from work to get some rest or take a vacation because “cows never take a day off from milking.” His life was devoted to taking care of his family which included his stepchildren and, later, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a man of few words who taught his grandchildren and great-grandchildren by action. His mantra was the pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps, no-excuses philosophy that his generation lived by: “See what you can do about it. Get it done. Make it happen.”
After he retired in the early 1990s, Lloyd Risso remained a dairy farmer and rancher at heart. At the family ranchette where he and his late wife lived since 1973, he enjoyed raising his beloved Texas longhorns that he purchased as calves from the Rolling “O” Ranch and the Boyce Ranch in Manteca. Feeding the cows, irrigating the fields (until his grandson took over the chore in recent years for his safety, especially when the South San Joaquin Irrigation District water came at night), and simply watching the Longhorns graze in the fields in the shadows of the gnarly old locust trees were among his favorite pastimes. He also loved his Toscanelli cigar. He was able to continue enjoying this one indulgence, thanks to the family that owns Miner Mart which continued to carry the mostly unknown brand through the years. A devoted family man all his life, Lloyd Risso always enjoyed the simple pleasures of life. He doted on his grandchildren and great-grandchildren who shared his penchant for Italian food, especially homemade dishes and pizza.
Grandpa, as he was fondly called, was a devoted and beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who will be sorely missed by all of his loved ones.
Lloyd Risso is survived by his son, Guy Risso of Galt, step-daughter Dolores Mitchell of Weston Ranch, grandsons Anthony (Rose) Risso of Manteca, and Carl (Larissa) Risso of Merced, Charlotte Desiree of San Diego, and many great-grandchildren, step-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife Mary, his parents Giovanni and Lucia Risso, brothers Louis Risso and Albert Risso, and daughter Ruthann Hughes and son Richard McCurdy.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, Jan. 16, from 1 to 5 p.m., with the Rosary prayer to begin at 4 p.m., in the P.L. Fry & Son Chapel, 290 N. Union Road in Manteca. A Traditional Latin Funeral Mass will be held Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013 at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Ripon, 19399 E. Highway 120, corner Carrolton Road. Officiating at the Requiem Mass will be Canon Olivier Meney, Episcopal Delegate for the Rite of 1962 in the Diocese of Oakland, of St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Oakland. In keeping with the solemnity of this Mass, modest attire would be appropriate. Entombment will be in the Mausoleum at St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, 1787 Carrolton Road, Escalon (behind St. Patrick’s Church) immediately following the Mass. An online guest book is available for condolences at www.plfryandson.com (search obituaries) P.L. Fry & Son is in charge of arrangements.
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Friday, January 11, 2013
