Celebrating the life of Buzz

Buzz, as he was known to all, was born to Ambrose and Isolina Bosetti at St. Helena Hospital,  and he was raised in Rutherford, where his parents ran a bar and restaurant. Growing up during  the Great Depression , he said that his family never felt poor. They didn’t have luxuries, but they had work, good food, and lots of fun. His first language was the Italian dialect of the Lago Maggiore region of Northern Italy, from which his parents had immigrated. He was educated—and learned to speak English—at the one room Rutherford school, which housed grades one  through eight. He was an active boy, and he often told stories of those days which were filled with play—baseball was a passion, work—picking prunes and walnuts—“there weren’t many  grapes”), and family.  

Buzz was the middle child. He had two sisters, Louise, his elder, tall and studious—her  mothers helper, and Anita, the baby, mischievous—her fathers pet, and Buzz’s playmate and co-conspirator. They describe a wonderful childhood, roaming the main (only) street and the many fields of their tiny town, getting into much mischief and having a great time. They had many friends, and many of these friendships lasted a lifetime. 

Buzz attended St. Helena High School. One of the many areas in which he excelled was in athletics. He played 4 sports: football, where he was a rangy wide receiver; basketball, in which he was a tough inside rebounder and defender, as well as baseball and track. He always loved  baseball, and played second base. “I wasn’t a very good fielder,” he said, “I was always afraid  sharp grounders would hit a rock, jump up, and smack me right in the nose.” Nonetheless, he lettered in baseball, too—more on that later. Track was a lark for him. “I never practiced, ever,” he always said. The coach has seen his speed in other sports, and insisted he compete, assigning him the 440 yard dash. The fact that track and baseball were both spring sports led to complications. Fortunately, baseball games and track meets were usually on the same day  and in the same town. He described once leaving the baseball dugout, quickly shedding his  heavy baseball uniform and cleats for the lighter track versions, arriving at the starting line just before the gun sounded. He won that race and many more. In fact, he, who never practiced, held the SHHS school record in the 440 for many years—55 seconds flat. “I was always completely out of gas in the last 100 yards; had I practiced I might have been good!” 

Baseball, remained his passion, and he began to excel. The small, tentative freshman shortstop  had a prodigious growth spurt, and by his senior year he stood at an athletic 6 ft 4 inches. He blossomed into a star pitcher for SHHS and the St. Helena Blue Sox city team. He possessed a blazing fastball, a deceptive change up, and an excellent curve. His fastball was so “heavy” as the baseball lingo goes, that his favorite catcher, Dan Gruppo, had to add extra padding to his mitt, and soak his hand in ice after every game. Buzz wanted to play baseball in college and was invited to a tryout in front of a consortium of college scouts. He was given the ball to pitch one inning in a game against SF giants standout minor leaguers, and struck out all three  batters he faced on only 3 pitches each, without so much as a foul tip. He was offered a full scholarship to Santa Clara University. 

He chose another path. Despite his love of baseball, he had found another love, a much  stronger one, and this love led him to Oregon. One day, while eating his very large—four sandwich—one salami, one prosciutto, one roast beef, and one mortadella (all that growing  requires a lot of calories) lunch, which had been lovingly, ok, resentfully, prepared by his sister Anita (the Italian culture at that time dictated that the dutiful daughter would make lunch for the  spoiled son) while sitting in the SHHS gym, he spotted a laughing blond girl, a freshman, playing basketball with his sister Anita. He was interested. He asked Anita to introduce them. The beautiful and vivacious Dory Bonagiuso was equally interested in the tall, handsome, dark  haired senior. A romance that began on that day, and until Dory’s death parted them in 2011, there was never anyone else for either of them. For the 57 years of his marriage to Dory, he knew he was a lucky man. He cherished Dory and thought of her always, including on his very last day. 

The high school romance altered Buzz’s educational and career choices. A talented artist and  draftsman, he had planned to take the scholarship to Santa Clara and study architecture.Dory’s father, Vito Bonagiuso was a successful pharmacist, and convinced Buzz that pharmacy was a much more predictable and sure route to middle class success in a small town. Buzz  wanted to please the father of his beautiful girlfriend, and took his advice, enrolling at Oregon State University, eventually graduating with a Pharmacy degree. 

Dory, properly chaperoned of course, visited Buzz often, and the romance remained strong through the college years. Buzz made many good friends, such as Jim McMillan, at OSU. He also learned to fish for salmon and steelhead in the beautiful Oregon rivers, an activity which would remain a passion all his life. 

Drafted into the Army just after graduation, Buzz served in Korea, seeing action, which he described as “mostly digging ditches and ducking.” An airplane accident during transport within Korea led him to swear he would never fly again—a promise he kept for over 40 years— until he happily attended his daughter Julie’s graduation from College in Colorado. 

Buzz and dory were married on his return to the US in 1954. Children soon followed. They had 5 children between 1956 and 1967, and their children were the center of their lives. They poured their love and work into building a loving home and good life for them all. Buzz took a job at Nielsen’s Pharmacy in Napa, but with a growing family, an economic downturn locally led him to look for greener pastures. He was offered a partnership position in Fortuna on the Humboldt county coast, and he moved his family to the beautiful, if rainy, land of the tall  redwoods. Buzz and Dory loved the people of Humboldt county ( and Buzz loved the fishing).  They had many close friends there, including the Jutilas, the Townes, and the Olsens who they remained close to all their lives. However, they missed the warmer climes of the Napa Valley, their high school friends (such as the Moes, Abruzzzinis, McDonalds, Gruppos, Morgans, and many others) and their extended family, and decided to return in 1966. 

They scouted carefully, and purchased a 2.5 acre plot at the very end of Galleron Road,  between Rutherford and St. Helena. There they built the house (constructed by their most  wonderful neighbor, Dave Calkins) that could contain their rambunctious brood. They also started a Pharmacy, Nu-way drugs, on Main Street in St. Helena. The store was a true throwback, with an old-fashioned ice cream parlor and lunch counter. Dory made home baked  pies, and the whole family worked at the store and fountain. It become a favorite meeting spot for St. Helena locals. 

The store was a success, and life proceeded as planned. After about 10 years, however, Buzz tired of the 7 day a week grind of running a small business, and sold the store. Buzz took pharmacy position at the Yountville Veterans home. He enjoyed many years of helping veterans  there, and had friends amongst staff and residents alike. Two of his best friends were Steve Sunseri and Walter Kuntz.

Home life on the small Bosetti Ranch was busy under Buzz, acting as Ranch owner and manager. Buzz was ahead of his time, organizing an all-organic, self-sustaining farm that produced a wide range of products for family use and sometimes for sale. Buzz was strong and capable, erecting fences, building barns, putting in irrigation systems, and planting crops.  An eclectic menagerie of animals including rabbits, pigs, ducks, cattle, sheep, ponies, horses,  and goats kept Buzz and his filial ranch hands busy. Every kind of fruit and vegetable were  grown with care and perfectionism. Buzz prided himself on growing not only the most perfect tomatoes, but in keeping them producing all the way through Christmas—“who else do you  know who can give you a tomato like this on Christmas day?,” was a refrain often heard. This justifiable pride, even a little boasting was happily accepted by all who tasted Buzz’s homemade pasta, gnocchi, or malfatti with fresh marinara sauce in December. 

As his children gradually left for college, the work involved in the small farm became less fun, and he converted the property to grapes, and later, after the grapes succumbed to Pierce’s  disease, to a Fig plantation. Buzz loved being a fig farmer. He lovingly handpicked and carefully  wrapped each delicate brown turkey fig. He delivered them with pride, and much conversation, to Napa Valley’s best restaurants and specialty grocery stores including the French Laundry, the Oakville Grocery and the Gott brothers at the Palisades market. Cuttings of his fig trees  exist all over the county and elsewhere, as he would root them and give the new baby fig trees to special friends. Their beautiful and delicious fruit is a reminder of Buzz that will live on for many years. 

Buzz and Dory eventually moved to a smaller home in Napa, on the Silverado Trail. They enjoyed road trips together, cooking, gardening, and visits from their children and grandchildren. They loved to dance, particularly to big band music and swing.  

Some years after Dory’s death, Buzz met Lou Whittaker, a tall and elegant dance teacher. They enjoyed years of happy companionship and love. Lou was a great comfort to Buzz in those years. 

Buzz had many wonderful personal qualities. He was a man of great energy and strength. He could perform, even quite late in life, physical labor that would exhaust much younger men. He  was artistic, and creative. He could fix almost anything. He was a creative and perfectionistic cook, and instilled a love of and ability to prepare fresh, healthy dishes in the Italian tradition in all of his children for which they thank him daily. He was a good teacher and he taught his children to be analytical and resourceful—two of his best attributes. 

Buzz could always be counted on in a crisis. From roadside automobile breakdowns, to plumbing disasters, to equally messy romantic breakups, he was there and always made things  better. In this he was the quintessential father. That was what he wanted to be, what he and Dory dreamed of, and planned. He achieved it, and we will always love him for it. 

Buzz was well known for his warmth, generosity, and most of all for his outgoing and friendly nature. To him, there were no strangers, just friends he hadn’t met yet. His circle of friends expanded his whole life, and those friends were very important to his happiness, especially in his advancing years.The family would like to express deep gratitude to Buzz’s dear friend,  Carlos Hernandez, who was like a son to him. Carlos brought unwavering support and  companionship, sharing countless joyful moments with Buzz, watching football, grilling steaks and salmon, and laughing together. We also wish to thank Mary Allen, his longtime neighbor and retired physical therapist, whose constant care and presence were a great source of comfort, recalling a time when neighbors truly felt like family. 

We would like to extend our gratitude to the many Napa Valley physicians, nurses, dentists, and other caregivers who supported Buzz throughout his long and vibrant life. They met his vivacity with love and his worries with understanding. We are particularly grateful to his wonderful internist, Dr. Rony Kako, and his compassionate hospice physician, Dr. Alex De Moraes. 

We are also profoundly grateful to Buzz’s incredible team of caregivers, CJ, Lindy, Kesa,  Maricela, Nino, and Suzy, whose kindness, music, stimulating conversations, humor, patience,  and warmth enriched his life every single day. A very special thanks goes to Rocio Flores, who lovingly cared for Buzz daily with unmatched devotion for over two years. Rocio first met Buzz  and Dory 20 years ago and formed a close bond with them, only to return like an angel from Peru to Napa when Buzz needed her most. 

Buzz is predeceased by his sister Louise Navone, his wife Dory, his son Peter, and his daughter Diane Mclaughin (surviving spouse Jim McLaughlin). He is survived by his sister Anita Ghiringhelli, and his children John Bosetti (Nancy Jameson), Julie Wayman (Mark Wayman), and Brenda  Bosetti (deceased partner Ted Hullinger) as well a 5 grandchildren, Katie and John McLaughlin, Isabella and Joseph Bosetti, and Sophie Wayman. He felt lucky to have known and shared in the love of many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews, and grand, grand nieces and nephews.  

He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. He had no enemies, and many friends, He hated none, and loved many. His children and their descendants will try to echo his humor, his warmth, his humility, and his belief and trust in the fundamental goodness of humanity so that this great and good man will not be forgotten. 

A funeral service and reception are being planned, and we will share the date here as soon as it is confirmed.

Instead of flowers, Buzz would have been grateful for donations made to Eye Surgeons International at www.eyesi.org, a charity he cared deeply about, or a charity of the donor’s  choice. 

Goodbye dad. We love you.