January 14, 1941 – November 27, 2024
Known to his large extended family simply as “Babbo” or “Nonno”, Leonard Victor Berardi loved life – and life with him was always an Adventure. A man of many talents, Len had a twinkle in his eye, a mischievous grin, and a zest for all things Italian.
He was born January 14, 1941, to Joseph (Giuseppe) Berardi and Jennie Cecilia (Belleggia) in San Francisco. His first home was on Cadell Place in North Beach, San Francisco, and he remained proud of his Italian (Umbria and Marche) and San Francisco roots.
He attended St. James Elementary School and Sacred Heart High School, graduating in the class of 1958. The next year he enrolled in the University of Nevada, Reno, returning to San Francisco at the end of the term. In 1960, he accompanied his parents on an extended trip to Italy on the ss. Leonardo da Vinci to meet his Italian relatives. It was the first of many trips throughout his life to the “center of the universe”.
The following year, in July 1961, Len married Zoila Emilia Tarradas. He returned to college at San Francisco State University, working toward a degree in anthropology. Together they had four children, moving to Marin County. In July 1966, Len joined the fire department for the City and County of San Francisco, working as a fireman at a number of fire houses in the City, a position he continued until a job-related disability forced his retirement in 1973.
In 1967, Len and Anne Sargent Gale Titus partnered to raise her two children along with his four. They moved the family from Marin County to Sierra County in 1977, living for a time in a home without electricity, until buying a home in Goodyears Bar. Several of the Berardi children attended and graduated from Downieville school.
During his years of raising a family, Len worked as a printer, entrepreneur (Papa Wheelies in Woodacre), substitute school teacher, private investigator, and publisher. Over the years, he was also a passionate activist fighting against the use of herbicides near water sources, helping establish and promote the Sea Turtle Center in Baja California with longtime friend, Michael Rugge, and working with Los Medicos Voladores (Flying Doctors) in dental clinics in San Ignacio, Baja California.
In 1980, Len met Mary Kathleen Butz, then a law student at UC Davis. He and Kathy married in October 1983 and lived together in Nevada City until his death.
Len became interested in book collecting and rare and out-of-print books while living in Sierra County. This was the beginning of three decades of his business, Mountain House Books, which he ran with his partner and mother-in-law, Phyllis. Their retail operation opened at 418 Broad Street in 1987 and specialized in rare and fine material with a specialty of California and the West. The store closed in 2015.
Len lived a life filled with the love of travel, whimsy, cooking (all his children are impressive cooks as a result), and the joys and challenges of a large wide-ranging family. Family trips included Baja California, crossing the Atlantic Ocean on the liner Aleksandr Pushkin, and driving through Europe and North Africa in a VW bus, a veritable saga that remains the source of numerous family stories. Besides many trips to Italy and Mexico, Len also traveled to the Brazilian Amazon, Ireland, England, the Galapagos Islands, Hong Kong, China, Peru, Turkey, and Tanzania. His last trip in 2022 was to his beloved Umbria and his family’s ancestral home.
Len’s last days were spent surrounded by friends and his beloved family. He died peacefully in the early morning hours of November 27. He is survived by his wife, Kathy, children Sëan, Dominic, Hilary, James, René, Todd, Toby, and Jon, 18 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, his brother Louis, and his grandson, Adam.
Len’s family thanks his wonderful caregivers, Pabby, Judy, Lise, Marina, Joyell, Paige and Imaniey, for their warm and comforting care over the past year and sincere thanks to Hospice of the Foothills staff who were incredibly supportive the last three weeks of his life.
A celebration of Len’s life will be held in the new year.
