The community is mourning Frank Laurance Estrada, an iconic rancher in Watsonville who passed away peacefully on June 19, surrounded by his loving family. He was 88.
Frank was born Sept. 2, 1935, on the family ranch in the mountains below Mount Madonna Park to Frank and Laura Estrada. He lived a life that little boys dream of.
At an early age he learned how to hunt, fish, tend to cattle and other farm animals and how to rope.
Frank started school in a one-room schoolhouse, Hazel Dell School, which was on the ranch and right next to his house.
After three years, his parents realized Frank needed to go elsewhere for school, where he could focus on what was being taught and not on what was going on outside, so he was enrolled at Moreland Notre Dame School in Watsonville.
He would often talk about those days of having nuns as teachers and walking across Main Street to line up to go up the steps into St. Patrick’s Church to his youngest grandson, Zach, who attended the school too. Frank then attended Watsonville High School, graduating in 1955.
Frank served his country for 10 years in the National Guard. He worked for Granite Construction for many years. He was a master plumber as he was able to establish water systems all over the ranch, capturing water coming out of the hills. All of these water systems are still used today to supply water for cattle, wildlife and his home.
Frank married Loretta in 1961 and had two sons, Grant and Greg. Frank taught his boys how to be good stewards of the land and to be respectful hunters and fishermen. Both boys and their families now take care of the family ranch. He loved going with his boys and grandchildren hunting and fishing in California, Nevada and Oregon. His greatest joy was helping them to spot a big buck.
As a young man, you could often find him volunteering at cattle round-ups and ropings at different ranches. He was involved with the Future Farmers of America. He served for many years on the Fish and Game Commission for Santa Cruz County. He helped form the District 4 California High School Rodeo Association, serving as a director. He was a director for the Salsipuedes Foothill Firefighters Association and was later elected as fire commissioner for the district. He was president and board member for the Santa Cruz County California Cattlemen’s Association and a board member of the California Cattlemen’s Association. Frank has been involved with the Agriculture History Project since the day it was formed, serving as director and volunteer. He was a member of the Santa Cruz County Fair Heritage Foundation. During fair time, Frank volunteered to be the weigh master for the cattle. He was a member of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau, where he was director for over 30 years.
In 1988, he and Loretta received the “Family Farmer” of the year award and in 1994 he was honored again by the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau when he was chosen as “Farmer of the Year.” In 2017, he was selected by the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.
He was one of the original founders of the Humboldt Hunt Club in Kings River, Nevada.
Frank took community involvement to another level. He used to host the well-attended Firemen’s Ball at the family’s Deer Camp that helped support the Salsipuedes Fire District.
He would furnish barbecue wood for all special events held throughout the county. He would share his beautiful home, ranch, and Deer Camp to help raise funds for many community organizations.
Frank, aka Pop, leaves behind his loving wife and partner of 63 years, Loretta; his two sons Grant (Kelly) and Greg (Janet). He also leaves behind a legacy through his grandchildren: Laura (Brian) Peixoto, Logan, Luke, and Zach; his great-grandchildren: Paris, Cash and Grant Peixoto; his brother Richard; sisters-in-law Darlene and Pam (Jerry), brother-in-law Dewayne (Dawn), and many other family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents Frank and Laura Estrada, brother Edward, parents-in-law Clayburn and Helen Roberts, brother-in-law Jim, sister-in-law Lisa and “chosen brother” Arnold Harvey.
The family would like to thank all of his wonderful caregivers Rosa, Ricardo and Daisy from Victorian Home Care and all of the other caregivers who helped him in his later years. We would like to also thank Hospice of Santa Cruz County for all of their care and support and a special thank you to Father Joseph Paradayil (Camp St. Francis) for his love, spiritual support and for his weekly visits.
Mass was celebrated June 26 at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church.
The family is asking that donations in his memory go to the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation (Heritage Hall Project), 2601 East Lake Ave., Watsonville CA, 95076, or to Camp St Francis, 2320 Sumner Ave., Aptos, CA 95003.
His pride and joy was his family and his ranch. We will miss his sarcasm, infectious laugh, his love for a good, barbecued steak and the love he shared with every single one of us in his own special way. He will forever be in our hearts.