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2020/03/21 - Chico, AEB

(2020ko martxoaren 21ean Chico Enterprise-Record, Legacy.com-en argitara emana)

Victor Eugene Alvistur, 75, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family on Saturday, March 21, 2020.

Victor was born in Oakland, CA. He was the only child of Eva Fravi Alvistur and Victor Caesar Alvistur, both hard-working immigrant families, one from Switzerland and one from a Basque heritage.

During his early school years, he lived next door to his Swiss grandmother, who had a tremendous influence on his life. As a native German speaker she taught herself to read and write English by reading the daily newspaper. This beloved grandmother moved from Oakland to live with the Alvistur family in Chico when she was 98 years old. She lived with them until she died at 102.

Victor was the first person on either side of his family to receive a college education, graduating from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, in 1967 with a degree in accounting.

He served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1967-73.

While getting his MBA from Golden Gate in 1968, Victor was set up on a blind date to a variety show at San Quentin Prison by his best friend and roommate, Jim Lucchesi, a Chico High School alumnus. Within three months he became engaged to his date, Gale Carter from Chico. They were married six months later.

In 1971, the couple moved to Chico where Victor went to work as Controller of a fledgling aviation company called Aero Union Corporation located at the Chico Airport. Needing a business perspective to counterbalance two pilots, the company made a condition of his hiring his pledge never to learn to fly. It was a promise he kept throughout his 35 year tenure at AUC . Victor worked his way up to the position of CFO and eventually became an owner, CEO, and President.

Over the next two decades, Victor and his two partners built Aero Union into one of the industry's premier firefighting companies. On the cutting edge of the industry, they provided aerial firefighting services under nationwide government contracts. They also invented, engineered, and manufactured customized aerial fire suppression systems and cargo handling systems which were sold all over the world. They grew to be one of Chico's largest employers with a payroll of several hundred people. 

Complementing Victor's successful business ventures was his commitment to public service in and around Chico. Sponsored by Gale's uncle, Ross Lawler, Victor joined Chico Rotary in 1972, as its youngest member. During these years he also belonged to the Chico Chamber of Commerce (served as Vice President), the Chico State Associates (President), the Aerial Firefighting Industry Association (President), served two terms on the Chico Planning Commission (Chairman), and was a member of the board of Chico Meals on Wheels (President). Because of the company's interest in engineering, Victor put the full weight of Aero Union Corporation behind the start-up of the Chico Science Fair. Until AUC was sold in 2005, it was a major sponsor of the Fair.

He was honored for his community service by receiving Rotary's Paul Harris Award and the J. Pat Lapin award from the Chamber of Commerce.

When Victor retired from Aero Union in 2005, he increased his volunteer activities. He was a founding member and the first President of the Chico Air Museum. He also joined the Volunteer in Police Service (VIPS) program.

After retirement, Victor learned to play golf and enjoyed his group of friends at Butte Creek Country Club for many years. He loved spending summers at his Lake Almanor cabin and liked vacationing in warm, sunny places with his family. He had no patience for cold or tule fog.

Above all else, Victor was a family man. Throughout his years of heavy workload and civic commitments, he always prioritized time for his four children. With all of them playing multiple high school sports a year, he managed never to miss a game. Victor, himself, was a good athlete. He played center on the Castlemont (Oakland) high school football team and was selected to the All-City Team his senior year. He was also the catcher on the school's baseball team. As an old friend of his said, "He wasn't a big guy, but he had the heart of a tiger."

Later in life, Victor became an avid jogger and tennis player. He was one of the first members of the Chico Racquet Club, where he enjoyed both tennis and racquetball. Over the years he challenged his children to beat him in a tennis match. Only his daughter, Annemarie, could do that.

Victor also loved to dance. He had a great sense of rhythm and a minimalist dancing style, that was catnip to ladies old and young.

Most of all, the family is going to miss Victor's sense of humor and loving teasing. He could make us laugh every day.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Gale, and his four children, Jason (Marisa), Bryan (Erica), Annemarie Kelley (Gregg), and Brendan (Elaine). He also leaves nine grandchildren: Reese, Eva, Hailey, Avery, and Zachary, and Rowan Alvistur and Sean, Emma, and Maeve Kelley.

The family would especially like to thank the staff at the Country Village and the nurses of Butte Home Health and Hospice for their kind, respectful, and loving care of Victor during his final illness. There will be no service at this time. Donations in Victor's memory may be made to Chico Meals on Wheels or to the Victor Alvistur Student-Athlete Scholarship/Chico High School Foundation, in care of the funeral home. Share your thoughts online at NewtonBracewell.com.