Gino Mario Del Chiaro passed away on January 6, 2023, closely following the passing of his wife of 52 years, Renee Del Chiaro.

Throughout his 82 years, Gino was larger than life with a big head of curly hair and an even bigger voice. He loved sports, hunting, and reading, as well as good wine and food. He was constantly listening to music and was especially fond of doo wop and the unique sounds of the 1950s and 1960s. He loved to sing and was occasionally known to get the lyrics right. He could tear up the dance floor, especially when hand in hand with Renee.

Gino was born on October 7, 1940, at the home of Mario and Rita (Catelani) Del Chiaro in the heart of Sonoma Valley where he enjoyed an idyllic childhood. He was proud of his Italian heritage and loved connecting with relatives back in Italy.

In his late 20s, Gino fell hard for Renee (Harris). He proposed to her one night under the Golden Gate Bridge and remained steadfastly devoted to her his entire life. They raised four daughters in Sonoma before moving to Grass Valley, making it their new home for over 20 years. Together, they enjoyed good music, gardening, and spending time with family and friends. He called Renee his angel.

Gino is fondly remembered by his former colleagues at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, where he worked as a nondestructive test code inspector and test examiner for more than 30 years, and at Caltrans in Sacramento, where he was an associate steel inspector for 20 years. Throughout his 50+ year career, Gino worked to ensure the safety of critical infrastructure while being a friend, mentor, and colleague to many. He brought fun to the workplace along with honesty, integrity, and dedication.

Gino loved his job and the people he worked with so much that he worked until he was 80, his family having to practically pack his boxes for him to get him to retire. He was like the Cal Ripken Jr. of work, rarely taking a day off for any reason, much less due to illness. This fact made his leukemia diagnosis and ultimate cause of death so hard to accept.

Gino’s strong sense of service included being a volunteer firefighter in the Valley of the Moon Volunteer Fire Department for several decades. His daughters remember the “squawk box” on top of the refrigerator, set at max volume, alerting an always willing Gino to get out of the house and rush to the aid of someone.

Gino was also active in team sports. He played on many Sonoma Valley baseball teams as a boy and young man and pitched in men’s fastpitch softball leagues for over forty years. It is said you could hear Gino halfway across town when he was up on the mound. He also loved to play lunchtime volleyball at Mare Island into his 50’s. His former colleagues revere him as the only man who could jump while never leaving the ground.

Those who knew Gino also know that he was a man who had a lot of knowledge, insight, and stories, which he shared enthusiastically in nearly any setting. His voice carried across the sound waves with ease as he would explain facts with a confident authority, or enrapture his listeners with affectionate, funny stories gleaned from his everyday life, travels, and the people he loved.

His friends and colleagues had many nicknames for him including, “Uncle Gino,” “The Kid,” “Big Babau,” and the “Flying Zucchini.”

At home, Gino was known as dad and nonno. He is survived by his daughters, Kathryn (Jon Williams) Del Chiaro, Renee (David) Vargas, Gina (Ron Kershman) Del Chiaro, and Bernadette (Steve Blackledge) Del Chiaro, as well as 15 grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, his sisters, Linda (McGarr) Del Chiaro and Lillie and Joe Dal Pra, and many loving nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A rosary and wake will be held on January 24, 2023, from 4-6pm at Hooper and Weaver Mortuary in Nevada City. A funeral mass will be held on January 25, 2023, at 1pm at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Grass Valley, followed by a burial at St. Patrick’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to St. Patrick’s Church or the Mayo Clinic.

There’s only one way to properly end an obituary for Gino Del Chiaro and it is with doo wop: “Oh won’t you stay, just a little bit longer. Please let me hear you say that you will. Say you will.”