News

Bud Leach (84) passed away peacefully on October 1st, 2017 at Cedar Creek. He was born on April 19th, 1933 in Meeker, OK to D.L. and Martha Leach. His family moved to California when Bud was only six months old. Until his retirement in 2008, Bud farmed in the Dixieland area for over 50 years growing alfalfa, cotton and almonds. He was a kind and gentle man and would do anything for his family. He will be greatly missed.

Bud loved God, family, spending time in the mountains, RVing to different places, and watching the San Francisco Giants and the 49ers. He especially looked forward to his annual deer hunting pack trips to String Meadow with his family and friends. Bud also enjoyed his grandchildren; they held a very special place in his heart.

Emma A. Minnite-Gilio (94), our beautiful mother, grandmother, and sister, passed away on the morning of Tuesday, September 26, 2017. Emma was born on March 27, 1923, in Spring Glen, Utah, the seventh of ten children of Italian immigrants Giovanni Minnite and Gelsomina Marchese-Minnite. In 1932 her family settled in Fresno, California, where Emma attended Columbia Elementary School and Edison High, from which she graduated in 1941.

In 1941, she married James J. Gilio, and together they ran Gilio’s Market in Cantua Creek, California. After Jim’s death in 1973, Emma continued to operate the store with her son Larry. Emma’s loved ones who predeceased her include her husband and parents; siblings Phyllis, Jennie, Chris, Pete, Ralph, Raymond, and Regge; and grandson Larry Gilio, Jr.

Marcella Oberti (107) passed away peacefully surrounded by her devoted family on September 22, 2017. Marcella was preceded in death by her husband, Frank J. Oberti in 1984. Marcella was born in San Francisco, California on December 6, 1909. At the age of five years old, Marcella participated in the 1913 Pan-Pacific Exposition.

As a young girl, she attended Montessori School in San Francisco. Upon graduating from High School, she attended the University of California in Berkeley where she majored in English Literature and Languages. She graduated from Berkeley in 1932 and went to work at the Bank of Italy in the Legal Department.

Mary Sue Ferretti (93), a beloved lifetime member of the Madera community, died peacefully at her home on Friday, September 8, 2017. Mary, and her twin sister, Bina, were born to Rose and Augusto Boitano on March 27, 1924.

After graduation from Madera High School in 1942, Mary went to work for Shebelut Chevrolet where she met the love of her life, Sergio Ferretti. Sergio, a local farmer, found every reason to come by and visit Mary. They wed in 1945 and had three daughters. When Sergio passed away in 1962, Mary devoted her life to raising their girls and looking after the family farm.

Reba Schwartz Allred (93) a longtime resident of Madera, passed away on Thursday, September 7, 2017 in Fresno at Clear View Retirement Home where she had lived most recently.

Reba was born in Flaydada, Texas one of six children born to Lee and Anna Garrett Mackey, The family later relocated to Madera County where she received her education, married and raised her family. Reba retired as a Bookkeeper following a career that spanned 27 years with the Madera Unified School District.

Bart Sciacqua (80) was born on August 7, 1937 in Madera, California. He passed away at home on September 4, 2017 with his family at his side.Bart was a brave and decorated firefighter/civil servant. He spent twenty-five years protecting our natural resources and community as a Captain with the California Department of Forestry. He was a role model, a leader and was named fireman of the year in 1973 and 1982, retiring in 1988.

Bart continued to make a positive impact on the community by channeling his energy on our community’s youth through coaching girl’s softball. His passion was ignited by coaching his two young daughters, Diane and Vickie and it blossomed into a 40-year career as one of the Valley’s winningest coaches. Bart began his coaching career with the Madera Bobby Sox league in the early 1970s, later organizing and coaching many young ladies on the Madera Blazers fast pitch softball team for many years.