Nat Domenico Pozzi

“Nat” or “Pozzi” as he was known, was born Natale Domenico Pozzi, in his family home, on the Roblar Road Ranch in Petaluma, CA - on Christmas Day, December 25, 1937.  His first name also means, “Christmas” in the Italian Language. He passed on July 6, 2022 at 84 years of age, after a lengthy illness.  Special thanks to the team and his friends at Springfield Assisted Living and his caregivers with Acclaim Home Health and Kaiser Permanente’s Palliative Care Teams and his Doctors. All were instrumental in giving a man who was known for his strength and commitment to hard work, the ability to live with some independence and to keep on trying to be his best. He was tenacious with his physical therapy and in following his doctors’ orders.

For Nat’s parents, he was the first generation to be born in America. His grandfather, Paulo Albini immigrated from Garzeno, Italy in 1921, after losing his first wife and Nat’s grandmother, Giovanna Braga of Como Italy, in 1918 to illness. He brought his second wife, Elisabeth (Merga) and surviving Italian born child Rosalia, to Sonoma County in 1928. Nat’s mom Rosalia (Albini) was promised to be wed to Pietro Pozzi who had also arrived in 1921. He was the oldest of three boys and attended the original little Dunham School House just down the road. Countless stories are still told of the fun the ‘Roblar Road Boys’ (Pozzi, Albini, Tunzi & Peterson) had, with their mischievous pranks, at the expense of the neighboring ranch families, through their young adulthood years.

He left Petaluma High School to haul hay full-time when he turned sixteen. Back in the days when you would load your own hay trucks without equipment and just two hay hooks. He would always say that he had to be the fastest to load, solo, and the best, which was a hallmark of his personality and work ethic. He enlisted and served in the Army’s 35th Infantry, 25th division and was recognized as a Sharpshooter. He married JoAnn Ritko, upon her graduation in 1960 and they told fun stories of their newlywed adventures while he was stationed in Hawaii and Thailand. He was transferred back to serve at the San Francisco Presidio, to be closer to the family and help with the Ranch after his father was in a farming accident.

Nat and his wife JoAnn would tell their daughter that she missed being brought up as a ‘Penngrove’ kid. They had so many fun stories to share about the people and community they grew up in together. After her passing in January 2018, he would refer to them as the “Odd Couple” because they were so different, not just as a truck driver married to a professional, but he a home centric man married to an ambitious professional. But they remained determined to stick to their community ties and remain a family. He was proud of his wife’s accomplishments and he understood that she was ahead of her time. He remained the grounding force behind her years of travel for her education with dual master’s degrees, the building of a CPA practice and local, national, and international professional service organization positions which involved long hours of hard work and regular travel. He has missed her every day since her passing in 2018 and was a regular visitor to her place of rest.

Pozzi had a fun sense of humor and a great smile, and he was happiest when working or socializing with friends and family. He was a transfer and bottom dump driver, mechanic, and welder at Skoff Trucking until he was seventy-nine. He missed his fellow truck driver/mechanic and friend, Kenny Goldbeck who passed years before him. He took motorcycle trips to all but three of the United States, some with friends and some solo.  He was a runner and enjoyed ski trips with his friend Marv Augustine until his early seventies, notorious for going off the groomed, black diamond ski trails just for the thrill, despite countless warning signs to the contrary.

Nat’s constant companion was his black cocker spaniel Potsy, who will now live with her sister, Nat’s only daughter Andrea Pozzi and her long-time partner Guy P. Fairon in Cotati, CA. Family gatherings with his homemade raviolis, board games and notorious whip cream battles will be remembered by his remaining family, youngest brother Robert Pozzi, nieces Maria, Jennifer and Angela Pozzi and nephews Christopher Pozzi and Michael Whitt as well as sister in-law Donna (Rosenthal) Brians. The next generation of Albini/Pozzi descendants are grand nephews and nieces, Louis, Clara, Anthony and Amy Machado and Bailee Mitchell will hear the stories and share them with their families.

Predeceased by his parents and brother Leroy Pozzi as well as siblings that could not survive their home births, but who are remembered, Santina, Peter, and Marie.

He will be laid to rest next to his wife at Cypress Hill Memorial Park, Petaluma CA in the Garden of Devotion. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the RITKO VOCATIONAL and EDUCATION FUND c/o Rotary Club of Petaluma Valley - PO Box 2101 Petaluma, CA 94953-2101.  At Natale’s request he will be making a sizeable in memoriam donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

Services will be held at Parent-Sorensen’s Mortuary on Saturday, July 30th at 11:00 am with a private burial for close friends and family, following. A visitation will be held Friday July 29th from 4-6pm for those who wish to pay their respects privately.

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Visitation

Friday, July 29, 2022

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Parent-Sorensen Mortuary and Crematory

Funeral Service

Saturday, July 30, 2022

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Parent-Sorensen Mortuary and Crematory