In loving memory of Emilio Aladino Orsetti who passed peacefully in his sleep December 3, 2006. Emilio was born March 6, 1924, in a farmhouse located on a Buena Vista Avenue orchard established in 1911 by his parents Louise and Aladino Orsetti, Gilroy pioneers. Emilio attended Gilroy schools and graduated from Gilroy Union High School in 1942 with life membership to the California Scholarship Federation.
During World War II, 1944, Emilio trained in pre-meteorology with the 60th Army Air Corps Training Detachment, Squadron 3, Flight A, University of California, Berkeley. He was then assigned as a weather observer in Tonopah, Nevada. After fifteen months, Mr. Orsetti was given shipping orders for the invasion of Japan and was sent to Goalsborough, North Carolina, for training. Fortunately, the war with Japan ended, and Emilio was assigned to weather stations in California: namely Salinas, Merced, and finally, McClellan Field, in Sacramento, where he was discharged in January of 1946.
Mr. Orsetti worked the family farm and attended college. He received a B.A. degree (1953), a teaching credential, and a Master’s Degree (1961) from San Jose State University. Still farming, Emilio entered the field of education in 1957 and soon became a highly respected teacher. In July of 1957, he married Teresa Jan Sunseri of San Jose, California.
After twenty-five years of teaching (mainly junior high math) fopr the Gilroy Unified School District (Brownell and South Valley schools), he retired in 1981. Emilio was a member of Farm Bureau, Sunsweet Growers, and California Retired Teacher’s Association.
Following in his parents’ footsteps, Emilio remained a life-long orchardist. Until March of this year, he was still proudly tending one of the few remaining prune orchards in Santa Clara Valley.
Emilio leaves his loving wife of forty-nine years, Teresa, loyal son, Mark (Laurie), devoted daughter, Marlene (Don Manzo), and adored grandchildren: Kimberlee Dawn, Donald (Donny) Emile, Jennifer, Meghan and Kevin.
Funeral Services will be Wednesday, December 6, 2006, 2:00 p. m. at Habing Family Funeral Home. Entombment will follow at Gavilan Hills Memorial Park. Donations may be made in hjis memory to the American Cancer Society, Santa Clara County Unit, 747 Camden Avenue, Suite B, Campbell, California 95008.;
