Joseph Vigilante passed away peacefully on April 20, 2010, with his family by his side. He was born June 27, 1921, in Westport, CT to John and Rose Vigilante. Joe was a generous and loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He loved to be surrounded by his family and was in business for many years with his brothers, Jim and Nick.
Joe was a Chief Electrician’s Mate in the Coast Guard during WWII and started his own electrical business when he was discharged. He married his wife, Jean, in 1947. They had 3 daughters in CT. In 1955, they decided to move to CA and begin a new adventure. Joe, Jim, and Nick started Alpine Mushroom Culture in Morgan Hill. Joe loved farming and made many life-long friends through the business. They had their 4th daughter in 1961, and in 1968, they adopted a son to complete their family. Joe was an avid sports fan, with baseball and ice hockey being his favorites. He loved to garden and was very mechanically minded. If he couldn’t fix it, then it was really broken. He fabricated lots of machinery from scratch for the mushroom farm. He never patented any of his innovations, but other farmers would come from far and wide to see what he had created. Joe had a great sense of humor and loved to travel in his RV to visit friends and family. He also traveled internationally many times with his wife and close friends. You knew Joe liked you when he branded you with a nickname.
Joe was preceded in death by his brother, Jim, and his daughters, Joan Vigilante (Backstrom) and Gina Vigilante (Fogelstrom). He is survived by his wife, Jean; daughters Patricia Vigilante and Vera Vigilante (Burns), her husband Robert; son Joseph Andrew Vigilante Jr.; granddaughter Megan Perasso; grandsons Michael Backstrom, M.J. Fogelstrom, Zachary and Griffin Burns; great-granddaughter Lillian Joan Perasso and many nieces and nephews.
Friends are invited to a memorial service on Friday, May 7, 2010, at 11:30A.M. in the chapel at Johnson Funeral Home, 17720 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill. A celebration of Joe’s life will be held immediately following the service at the Morgan Hill Community & Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, that a donation be made in Joe’s name to the charity of your choice.
