The Cupertino Courier
Community
Obituaries
Cupertino native's family founded winery
Mario Atillio Picchetti, who died April 27 at age 83, was born and raised in Cupertino on the Picchetti Winery Ranch.
Born on Nov. 2, 1922, to Antone and Anita Picchetti, he grew up on the ranch in Cupertino with several cousins. His grandfather, Vincenso Picchetti, founded the winery with his brother in the late 1800s after selling grapes from their 160-acre vineyards to other local wineries. When Vincenso died in 1904, day-to-day operations of the winery fell to two of his four sons, John and Antone, Mario's father.
By that time, the ranch had grown to 500 acres, but soon the brothers had to sell some of the acreage to meet operating expenses, and the threat of prohibition loomed.
Some of the remaining acreage was converted to fruit orchards, which were the economic engine of Cupertino at the time.
Together the family tended the vineyards, apricot and prune orchards, and raised cattle, horses and other farm animals.
Mario Picchetti's uncle, John, loved birds and built several aviaries on the property where he bred several species. Peacocks still roam the land there, which is now owned by the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District. Picchetti Winery continues to operate under a lease agreement with the agency.
Mario Picchetti attended Montebello Elementary School and Bellarmine College Preparatory. He moved to Hollister in 1950 and bought a restaurant with his cousin. They worked together there for 15 years.
Michael Picchetti says his uncle had a fun-loving spirit and enjoyed sharing tales of his adventures with friends and family. Always a horse lover, he once rode his horse into Paul and Eddie's Monta Vista Inn on Stevens Creek Road.
He also loved to hunt deer in the hills above the ranch, and he enjoyed baseball. Playing horseshoes was a passion for Picchetti and he won several first-place awards in various tournaments.
To Mario Picchetti, his Italian family included not only relatives, but the community around him, Michael Picchetti says.
Picchetti is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jere Johnson; two children, Debra and Antone Picchetti; brother, Hector Picchetti; eight grandchildren, several nieces, nephews and cousins.
At Picchetti's request no services were held.
Mildred Gentes had blossomed late in life
For Mildred Mary "Millie" Gentes, some things came to her late in life.
She didn't get her driver's license until she was 51. Her two older children both had their licenses before she did.
She was 61 when she graduated with an associate of arts degree from De Anza College in 1983.
Born on May 12, 1922 in Pawtucket, R.I., she was 83 when she died May 11 in her Cupertino home of 45 years.
The Gentes family had only one car, so she would wait until her husband got home from work at Lockheed to drive her to the grocery store or run errands. When her two eldest children got their licenses, they would help their father in shuttling Gentes from place to place.
The togetherness created lifelong memories.
Gentes was a Marian Visitor--a church member who calls on people who are ill or unable to attend mass--for St. Joseph of Cupertino Parish. Her son Tom, a teenager at the time, remembers accompanying his mother on those trips, where he saw his mother's compassion for others. One woman Gentes visited became a lifelong friend, says Julie Wheaton, Gentes' daughter-in-law. The two, and their children, became fast friends, sharing birthdays, weddings and other celebrations over the years.
Gentes loved to play bridge and played twice a week with two clubs. Wheaton says one of the women in the group called Gentes a "real strategist" when it came to bridge.
Gentes' area of interest in college, senior physical fitness, helped her during her years as a volunteer at the Cupertino Senior Center.
Gentes is survived by her husband of 57 years, Victor Gentes; sons Tom Gentes of Coulterville; Jim Gentes of Soquel; Brian Gentes (Julie Wheaton) of San Diego; and eight grandchildren: Jessica, Nicholas, Jake, Sean, Allison, Jackson, Carsen and Aidan.
Services were held on May 17 at St. Joseph of Cupertino Church.
Donations can be made to Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, 2625 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA 95134-2107; 408.468.0100.
