1949

scmagazine@scu.edu

Joseph Anthony Zanger Sr. ’49 on Feb 9, 2009. A native of San Jose, he was introduced to cattle ranching as a teenager on his father’s ranch on Mount Hamilton. Until 2003, he maintained a small cattle herd, doing the gathering, roping, branding, and vaccinating of the cattle himself. He was a director of the Santa Clara County Horseman’s Association at age 17. After attending college, he moved to Pacheco Pass to help manage the family’s orchard operations. For more than 50 years, he and his two brothers, George and Eugene, farmed more than 600 acres of orchards and vineyards on Pacheco Pass. He helped found the California Prune Bargaining Association at age 19 and later served as the director of the Santa Clara Valley Winegrowers Association and as president of the San Benito County Farm Bureau. The Zanger family founded Casa de Fruta to complement their farming business. It now includes a large fruit stand, restaurant, RV park, lodge, wine tasting, gift shop, barnyard zoo, candy store, service station, and dried fruit mailing business. He was a lifelong Republican, serving as the San Benito County Republican Central Committee Chairman for eight years. He loved to dance and helped found the Hollister Dance Club in 1959. He was inducted into the California Southwestern Dance Hall of Fame in 1985 in recognition of the years in which Casa de Fruta served as a venue for world champion western dancers. He is survived by his longtime partner, Roxy Montana; four children; and eight grandchildren.

08 Nov 2018