Anthony Matthew Ruso ’56 passed away peacefully on April 1, 2010 after a long illness. He was born October 1, 1933 to Anna and Antone Ruso who had immigrated from Slovenia and Croatia. He graduated from Watsonville Union High School in 1951 and Santa Clara University in 1956. He had a passion for local agriculture, especially the strawberry industry, and worked as a manager for Growers’ Frozen Foods and then as a field manager for Smuckers. In his later years he was the office manager of Our Lady Help of Christians Church. He married Anna Marie Konsuo in 1970.He and Anna Marie had two children, Catherine and David, and together they raised Anna Marie’s daughters, Patricia and MaryBeth. Tony was the loyal and generous patriarch of our family; he presided over his grandchildren’s birthdays and all of the holidays in between. He instilled in all of us a commitment to family and kindness to others. He was happiest when surrounded by family and friends at the head of his kitchen table where there was always an abundance of food and drink and great stories told of the old days in Watsonville. He is survived by his wife, Anna Marie, of Aptos; daughter Catherine Ruso Weber and son David Blossom Ruso; stepchildren Patricia, Jeff, Lester, MaryBeth and John Macedo; siblings Madelyn Taylor of Washington D.C. and John Kay Ruso of Marina Del Rey CA; children from his first marriage, Stephen Liz Ruso, Kristy Ruso Kennedy, Nancy Stidham and Gina Ruso; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and 23 loving grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Anna and Antone; brothers Louis Ruso, Nicholas Ruso, Francis Ruso and sister Catherine ""Casey"" Ivanovich; brothers-in-law Charles ""Chick"" Arbanas and Louie Ivanovich and son-in-law Nathan Weber. Mehl’s Colonial Chapel is in charge of arrangements. A Mass in celebration of Tony’s life was held in April at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Capitola. Donations may be made to Jacob’s Heart, 2007 Freedom Blvd, Freedom CA 95019, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 435 Monterey Avenue, Capitola CA 95010 or St. Francis CCC High School.