Giuseppe “Joe” Cassara

Giuseppe “Joe” Cassara, a longtime resident of Los Altos, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at the age of 94.

Giuseppe was born in Monreale, Sicily, Italy, on January 19, 1932, the eldest of eight siblings. He married his wife, Benedetta (“Nina”), in Monreale in 1951. In 1958, the couple immigrated to the United States with their two young daughters, Rose and Mary, settling in California, where their family later grew with the birth of two sons, John and Joseph.

A hard worker who built a life around family and land, Giuseppe found early success running his own landscaping business before beginning a new chapter as a farmer, purchasing an almond orchard in Merced, California, with his wife at his side. In the years that followed, he split his time between his home in Los Altos and the orchard in Merced. He later passed the farming trade on to his son, John, who carried it forward. Giuseppe cherished his life in Merced — the yearly ritual of making tomato sauce, drying figs and apricots, and, above all, gathering the whole family together.

Giuseppe was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Benedetta “Nina” Cassara. He is survived by his children, Rose (Randy) Taylor, Mary (the late Tony) Picariello, John Cassara, and Joseph (Debra) Cassara; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; three brothers; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are warmly invited to join in celebrating a life well lived. Giuseppe will be forever in our hearts.

The Rosary will be held Wednesday, August 19, from 5:30 to 8:30 PM at Spangler Mortuary, 399 S. San Antonio Rd., Los Altos, CA 94022.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday, August 20, at 10:00 AM at St. Simon Catholic Church, 1860 Grant Rd., Los Altos, CA.

A committal service will follow at Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery, 22555 Cristo Rey Dr., Los Altos, CA 94024, from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM.