A Legacy of Love and Service
On Tuesday, February 15, longtime Castro Valley resident, Lorenzo (Larry) Bronzini passed away at the age of 90. Surrounded by family, he left behind a legacy of service to the community that spans many decades, beginning early in his young adult life.
In 1943, Larry’s family moved to CV which, at the time, was comprised of orchards and chicken coops. The son of Italian immigrants, Larry and his older brother, Alberto (Al) were raised with a strong work ethic. His parents highly valued community relationships and they instilled this into both their sons.
Larry’s first real job was cleaning chicken houses for Charley Gian Bruno whose farm was located where Castro Valley High School now stands. In 1947, Larry began raising guinea pigs which he sold for twenty-five cents each. When he needed lettuce for the guinea pigs, Larry rode his horse down to the A.A. Food Market on Castro Valley Blvd. At the age of 14, Larry was offered a job at the busy market by owner, George Aahl. Whether he was meticulously stacking canned goods, bagging groceries, stocking produce, or cleaning the meat shop, Larry’s dedication to serving the community of CV was ignited—a flame that would remain burning for the next 70 years.
In 1952, Larry was inducted into the U.S. Army where his commitment to serving others would be expanded internationally. When he returned from serving in the Korean War, Larry went back to work at the A.A. Market. He was energized by helping others and took great pride in his work. When Larry married and began raising a family, he took a job at Wiseman’s Furniture in Hayward. His personal touch and the time he spent truly getting to know his customers and their needs made him a top salesman. Once Wiseman’s closed in the early 1980’s, Larry returned to his true passion of serving the CV community through the grocery industry. He gladly accepted a job as the manager of Al’s Food Market, a position he joyfully held for almost 40 years.
Since Larry’s passing, his family has been flooded with stories and acts of kindness that Larry did behind the scenes. “Our mom was a loyal customer at Al’s Market, shared Nancy Teixeira. “She loved telling people about the time she was leaving the store and her car wouldn’t start! Larry stepped in and told her ‘Don’t worry about it. I’ll just give you and your groceries a ride home.’ And he did. That’s the kind of gentleman he was.”
Customer Cella Whitehouse shared, “Larry was always smiling, always helpful, always infusing joy into the day of those he encountered. The best way to memorialize Larry is to treat one another the way he treated others…with kindness, love, and respect.”
Jerry Weinmeister, the owner of Al’s Market, called Larry ‘The Jammer’ because he was always moving, helping, serving, and working to keep the store in tip-top shape for the customers.
Whenever a customer entered Al's with children in tow, it was not uncommon for Larry to cut a slice of salami or cheese and hand it to the child. Larry had the capacity to interact with people of all ages which made him a real asset to the market and a genuine soul to everyone he met.
When he wasn’t working, Larry was often found tinkering in his garage or doing chores for his neighbors. True to his Italian heritage, also enjoyed surprising friends and family with freshly picked fruits and vegetables, especially lemons and persimmons. During the shelter-in-place, he made the best of being quarantined by making all-natural bird feeders which he gave away as gifts to special people in his life.
“Larry was an integral part in the evolution of C.V.,” shared Erik Vogel, a resident. Larry will remain an integral part of the fabric of Castro Valley, helping to shape its vivid history. He lived in the same home for over 65 years. Larry was old school, a wild west cowboy at heart. In many ways, he was a common man with an uncommon, tenacious desire to stay focused on the things that mattered most. Larry loved life and lived it to the fullest. As he aged, he never lost his passion for people—especially his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. When asked about what he wanted most in life, his answer was always the same: “I just want to be with my family.”
Young and old, near and far, Larry will be deeply missed—a true Castro Valley legend.