Robert “Bob” Loquaci (92) spent his life farming the fertile soil of the San Joaquin Valley. Bob was born in Madera, CA to Urbano Loquaci and Eda Pistoresi Loquaci, and began farming grapes with his father as soon as he was old enough to help. He met the love of his life, Dora Karahadian, when they were teenagers, and they were married after Bob returned from his service with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific during World War II. Bob and Dora were married for 70 years, and have two sons, David and Leslie, who have continued the family's farming legacy.Bob's commitment to agriculture drove him to advocate on behalf of the farming community. He was a Founding Director and President of the Raisin Bargaining Association., and represented the domestic raisin industry by testifying in Washington D.C., where President Nixon later signed a law making imported raisins meet US Food Safety standards. Bob also traveled to Japan twice to open the market for U.S. raisins and promote raisin sales.
Marion Fry (79) was born in Philadelphia, Pa. to the late Clayton Joseph Fry and Edith Brendlinger Fry on November 29, 1935. Her parents, brothers and sister moved from the east coast to Fresno after World War II. Her two older brothers would join the family in Fresno after being honorably discharged from the United States Navy.
MADERA - After a long and blessed life, Joseph "Joe" Pistacchio passed away on September 28, 2015, in Madera, CA. Joe died peacefully at home with his wife, Mary, and loved ones by his side.
William Allan Hall (75), better known to friends as "Allan", passed away on Tuesday, September 1, 2015. Allan was born in Merced, California but later moved to Fresno where he was a graduate of Fresno High School. He attended Fresno City College, Fresno State and graduated from the Oregon State School of Pharmacy. 
Webster "Web" Benard (81), a native of Keota, OK and a resident of Madera, CA for 77 years passed away Thursday, August 20, 2015 at a Fresno hospital. He was a retired U.S. Postal Clerk where he worked for 34 years and a member of Westside Christian Fellowship Church. 
Betty Jean Pipes (89) of Madera, CA passed away peacefully in her home, surrounded by her loving family on June 12, 2015. Betty was born in Los Angeles, CA on May 18, 1926. Her childhood years were spent in Mountainair, New Mexico. Betty was the only child of Ernest Rudd and Era Saunders Rudd. 
Ralph Philip Reitz (91) was born in Fresno, CA on June 28, 1923, to Philip and Eva Reitz, and went to be with the Lord on Sunday, June 7, 2015. He attended Locan Elementary School near Kings Canyon and Temperance Avenue and graduated from Sanger High School in 1941. He attended Fresno State College for three semesters until his education was interrupted by World War II. 
