Obituary of Frank John Beccaria

Frank passed peacefully early Sunday morning after celebrating his 84th birthday surrounded by family. Frank's father, Guiseppe Beccaria, came to the USA from Italy in 1911 settling in Capitola /Soquel. The Beccaria family has resided here for more than one hundred years. Frank was proud of this and his Italian-American heritage. Frank was born in Santa Cruz to Pierina and Guiseppe Beccaria. He attended Soquel School, Mission Hill for ninth grade and graduated from Santa Cruz High School in 1947. Following this, he studied agriculture at UC Davis for two years. Frank met the love of his life, Sylvia Giovacchini, daughter of Guido and Elana Giovacchini of San Jose, in May 1953. They were engaged in October of the same year and married on February 14th 1954. They were happily married for just a few months short of sixty years. In 1954, he was drafted into the Army and served a two year term in Sendai, Japan. He was a member of the headquarters company of the M.A.S.H unit of the 15th medical battalion. Frank's love was farming. He started a fruit stand when he was just ten years old with a bench and a basket of cherries. He sold his first basket for a silver dollar. This early enterprise continued and grew into Frank's Fruit Stand. After he was married, he continued farming and operating the fruit stand with his wife Sylvia. Later, he transitioned into Real Estate and established Wellington Realtors . The original building was built in 1972 and further extended in 1978 on the same land as the family farm. Frank was active in the community throughout his life. He was on the Planning Commission for the City of Capitola and a city councilman in 1970. He was a long time member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church where he was active as a Eucharistic minister, greeter and member of the finance committee. He was a volunteer firefighter for Soquel Fire that later became Central Fire. He was also on the board of directors for the Central Fire District. He was a member of the Marconi, Elk's and ICF clubs. Frank will be remembered for his kindness, love of the outdoors, and his generosity to all who needed it. He especially enjoyed hunting and fishing trips with family and friends. He loved nothing better than to entertain relatives, family, and friends with good food, wine, and laughter. Frank is preceded in death by his mother, Pierina Beccaria Labato, his father Guiseppe Beccaria and his stepfather Jim Labato. He will be greatly missed by his family, his wife Sylvia Beccaria and children David, Chris, and John Beccaria and Cynthia Beccaria Honey. His daughters-in-law, Kristin, Sydney, and Theresa Beccaria and son-in-law Francis Honey as well as his grandchildren, Erin Beccaria Grant and her husband Eric Grant, Frankie, Matthew and Daniella Beccaria and Jeremy Honey as well as his sister -in-law Marie Lara and brother-in-law Mario Giovacchini. We gratefully acknowledge the care given by Vicfor Tan his caregiver and Dr. Jay Johnson. Friends may pay their respects at a viewing at Benito and Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel on Thursday, October 3, from 12 noon until 7 p.m. Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated on Friday, October 4, 2013 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church (435 Monterey Ave.) Capitola, CA. beginning at 10 a.m. The committal ceremony with military honors will follow at Holy Cross Mausoleum (2271 7th Ave.) Santa Cruz. Any kind acts of charity may be made in Frank's name to Heartland Hospice (824 Bay Ave. #40, Capitola, CA. 95010-2104) or to St. Joseph's Church. To light a candle on-line and share your prayers and condolences, please visit www.pacificgardenschapel.com