John Balestrini, Pt. Reyes Bakery Owner, Succumbs
"Johnnie" is dead. Smiling, genial and energetic John Balestrini, famous throughout East Marin for the pastries he made with his own hands, succumbed to a cerebral hemorhhage Monday night.
He was stricken Friday night while working in his Pt. Reyes Bakery plant, the mecca for almost a generation of youngsters on whom he used to lavish gifts of freshly-baked cakes and cookies.
He was found unconscious by his son John Joseph, 11, his body wedged between a counter and a refrigerator where he apparently had been overcome.
Rushed to Marin General hospital in a semi-conscious condition, he failed to respond to treatment. "Johnnie" was 49 years old.
A native of Como in Northern Italy, he had worked his way to this country as a boy of 13. After settling in San Francisco he came to Pt. Reyes and later established the Pt. Reyes Bakery which he operated until his death.
In addition to his son, he is survived by his father and two sisters still living in Italy, his former wife, Mrs. Genevieve McGrath of Petaluma, three sisters-in-law, Mrs. Zelma Maestri of Pt. Reyes; Mrs. Sylvia Bordi of San Francisco, and Mrs. Iris Boccaleoni of Petaluma; and a brother-in-law, Fred Gianini of Petaluma.
Rosary will be said at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Sorenson Funeral Home in Petaluma. Funeral services will be held at the Pt. Reyes Catholic church at 10 a.m. Friday with Father Richard Barron officiating.
Interment will be in Olema cemetery.
(Obituary from unnamed, undated newspaper clipping)
Giovanni Battista Balestrini was born in Cirimido, Italy in 1903. Around 1920 he immigrated to the United States under the sponsorship of his uncle Umberto Balestrini. He became a naturalized citizen in 1929. He went by John or Johnny and settled in Point Reyes Station where he owned the Point Reyes Bakery. He married Genevieve Gianini in 1937 in Marin County and their son John Joseph was born in 1940. The marriage ended in divorce.
In 1949, Johnny traveled back to Italy to visit his family. He passed away in Marin County in 1952 at the age of 49.
For over 60 years, the grave of John Battista Balestrini was marked with a misspelled name. In 2012, his son Joe Balestrini replaced the old concrete marker with a new stone bearing the correct name.
"Johnnie" is dead. Smiling, genial and energetic John Balestrini, famous throughout East Marin for the pastries he made with his own hands, succumbed to a cerebral hemorhhage Monday night.
He was stricken Friday night while working in his Pt. Reyes Bakery plant, the mecca for almost a generation of youngsters on whom he used to lavish gifts of freshly-baked cakes and cookies.
He was found unconscious by his son John Joseph, 11, his body wedged between a counter and a refrigerator where he apparently had been overcome.
Rushed to Marin General hospital in a semi-conscious condition, he failed to respond to treatment. "Johnnie" was 49 years old.
A native of Como in Northern Italy, he had worked his way to this country as a boy of 13. After settling in San Francisco he came to Pt. Reyes and later established the Pt. Reyes Bakery which he operated until his death.
In addition to his son, he is survived by his father and two sisters still living in Italy, his former wife, Mrs. Genevieve McGrath of Petaluma, three sisters-in-law, Mrs. Zelma Maestri of Pt. Reyes; Mrs. Sylvia Bordi of San Francisco, and Mrs. Iris Boccaleoni of Petaluma; and a brother-in-law, Fred Gianini of Petaluma.
Rosary will be said at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Sorenson Funeral Home in Petaluma. Funeral services will be held at the Pt. Reyes Catholic church at 10 a.m. Friday with Father Richard Barron officiating.
Interment will be in Olema cemetery.
(Obituary from unnamed, undated newspaper clipping)
Giovanni Battista Balestrini was born in Cirimido, Italy in 1903. Around 1920 he immigrated to the United States under the sponsorship of his uncle Umberto Balestrini. He became a naturalized citizen in 1929. He went by John or Johnny and settled in Point Reyes Station where he owned the Point Reyes Bakery. He married Genevieve Gianini in 1937 in Marin County and their son John Joseph was born in 1940. The marriage ended in divorce.
In 1949, Johnny traveled back to Italy to visit his family. He passed away in Marin County in 1952 at the age of 49.
For over 60 years, the grave of John Battista Balestrini was marked with a misspelled name. In 2012, his son Joe Balestrini replaced the old concrete marker with a new stone bearing the correct name.
John Balestrini, Pt. Reyes Bakery Owner, Succumbs
"Johnnie" is dead. Smiling, genial and energetic John Balestrini, famous throughout East Marin for the pastries he made with his own hands, succumbed to a cerebral hemorhhage Monday night.
He was stricken Friday night while working in his Pt. Reyes Bakery plant, the mecca for almost a generation of youngsters on whom he used to lavish gifts of freshly-baked cakes and cookies.
He was found unconscious by his son John Joseph, 11, his body wedged between a counter and a refrigerator where he apparently had been overcome.
Rushed to Marin General hospital in a semi-conscious condition, he failed to respond to treatment. "Johnnie" was 49 years old.
A native of Como in Northern Italy, he had worked his way to this country as a boy of 13. After settling in San Francisco he came to Pt. Reyes and later established the Pt. Reyes Bakery which he operated until his death.
In addition to his son, he is survived by his father and two sisters still living in Italy, his former wife, Mrs. Genevieve McGrath of Petaluma, three sisters-in-law, Mrs. Zelma Maestri of Pt. Reyes; Mrs. Sylvia Bordi of San Francisco, and Mrs. Iris Boccaleoni of Petaluma; and a brother-in-law, Fred Gianini of Petaluma.
Rosary will be said at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Sorenson Funeral Home in Petaluma. Funeral services will be held at the Pt. Reyes Catholic church at 10 a.m. Friday with Father Richard Barron officiating.
Interment will be in Olema cemetery.
(Obituary from unnamed, undated newspaper clipping)
Giovanni Battista Balestrini was born in Cirimido, Italy in 1903. Around 1920 he immigrated to the United States under the sponsorship of his uncle Umberto Balestrini. He became a naturalized citizen in 1929. He went by John or Johnny and settled in Point Reyes Station where he owned the Point Reyes Bakery. He married Genevieve Gianini in 1937 in Marin County and their son John Joseph was born in 1940. The marriage ended in divorce.
In 1949, Johnny traveled back to Italy to visit his family. He passed away in Marin County in 1952 at the age of 49.
For over 60 years, the grave of John Battista Balestrini was marked with a misspelled name. In 2012, his son Joe Balestrini replaced the old concrete marker with a new stone bearing the correct name.
"Johnnie" is dead. Smiling, genial and energetic John Balestrini, famous throughout East Marin for the pastries he made with his own hands, succumbed to a cerebral hemorhhage Monday night.
He was stricken Friday night while working in his Pt. Reyes Bakery plant, the mecca for almost a generation of youngsters on whom he used to lavish gifts of freshly-baked cakes and cookies.
He was found unconscious by his son John Joseph, 11, his body wedged between a counter and a refrigerator where he apparently had been overcome.
Rushed to Marin General hospital in a semi-conscious condition, he failed to respond to treatment. "Johnnie" was 49 years old.
A native of Como in Northern Italy, he had worked his way to this country as a boy of 13. After settling in San Francisco he came to Pt. Reyes and later established the Pt. Reyes Bakery which he operated until his death.
In addition to his son, he is survived by his father and two sisters still living in Italy, his former wife, Mrs. Genevieve McGrath of Petaluma, three sisters-in-law, Mrs. Zelma Maestri of Pt. Reyes; Mrs. Sylvia Bordi of San Francisco, and Mrs. Iris Boccaleoni of Petaluma; and a brother-in-law, Fred Gianini of Petaluma.
Rosary will be said at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Sorenson Funeral Home in Petaluma. Funeral services will be held at the Pt. Reyes Catholic church at 10 a.m. Friday with Father Richard Barron officiating.
Interment will be in Olema cemetery.
(Obituary from unnamed, undated newspaper clipping)
Giovanni Battista Balestrini was born in Cirimido, Italy in 1903. Around 1920 he immigrated to the United States under the sponsorship of his uncle Umberto Balestrini. He became a naturalized citizen in 1929. He went by John or Johnny and settled in Point Reyes Station where he owned the Point Reyes Bakery. He married Genevieve Gianini in 1937 in Marin County and their son John Joseph was born in 1940. The marriage ended in divorce.
In 1949, Johnny traveled back to Italy to visit his family. He passed away in Marin County in 1952 at the age of 49.
For over 60 years, the grave of John Battista Balestrini was marked with a misspelled name. In 2012, his son Joe Balestrini replaced the old concrete marker with a new stone bearing the correct name.
