Sal LoBue was an immigrant veteran who loved family, farming and dancing
Sal LoBue moved with his parents to San Jose from his native Sicily in 1937. Six years later, he received a letter saying he could either stay in the country or fight for America in World War II.
He ended up raising his right hand and signing on to be in the 49th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. After finishing basic training, the government offered him citizenship. LoBue ended up surviving the Normandy landing on D-Day and served more than three years in the military – before heading back to his adopted home, marrying his wife Nancy, raising a family and supporting them by farming apricots, walnuts and prunes (at one point selling door-to-door when vegetables were still sold that way), not to mention a two-decade stint in the produce department at a Lucky Stores.
LoBue, who lived in San Benito County about 25 years and whose many friends here came to know him by his jovial spirit, thick Sicilian accent and love for dancing, passed away this week at age 88.
His son Tony LoBue reflected on his father’s life, recounting the family’s journey to the U.S. and Hollister, and recalled looking through old papers this week and finding his dad’s certificate of naturalization, a third of a page simply noting his citizenship.
“He came back from World War II and began in the farming industry,” his son said.
His father had a happy life, he said, despite the tragic loss of Sal LoBue’s daughter and Tony’s sister Rosellina, murdered in 1987.
In his later years, Sal loved his canaries and gardening.
“He loved growing huge elephant garlic as a hobby,” his son said. “God, he loved his canaries, breeding different colors.”
For many locals, they will remember LoBue’s penchant for staying active, for keeping up with the best of them on the dance floor at local establishments.
“He had a very colorful life where he loved dancing. He loved music. He loved being out in the community.”
His son, a former Hollister city councilman, described with a chuckle his father having that “old Italian style” of personality – “firm with the family but friendly with everybody else.”
But his father, he said, instilled a devoted appreciation in him for support of capital punishment after the family’s loss, capitalism and government.
“It’s made him what he was until his dying day – by supporting the military and being an advocate for capitalism, showing everybody that you could come from a foreign country and have those opportunities.”
A viewing is set for Lima Mortuary, 710 Willow St. in San Jose at 11 a.m. Monday with a vigil and rosary at 7 p.m., followed by a military funeral service at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Christopher Church,1576 Curtner Ave. in San Jose. As noted in his obituary, he was the loving husband of the late Nancy LoBue and father to Tony LoBue, Marie and Dan Peterson and the late Rosellina LoBue. Grandfather of Daniel and Christina Peterson. Uncle to Anthony and Phil LoBue.
