Patterson Cemetery District, Stanislaus County, CA 

Submitted by Gale Stroud and Burta Herger 26 Aug 2007

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Del Biaggio William 940927 p11
William Del Biaggio, 78;  Word has been received here of the death of one of Patterson High School's most successful
athletes back in the 1930s.   William "Boots" Del Biaggio died suddenly Sept. 15 in the San Jose area where he made his
home.  A Mass was held at St. Patrick's Church in San Jose. with private burial.  Remembrances are to be sent to Sisters
of the Presentation Retirement Fund, 2340 Turk Blvd., San Francisco, Calif. 94118.  Born in Gustine, he got his
nickname by wearing his farm boots to school after milking cows in the early-morning hours.  He grew up in the
Patterson area and graduated from Patterson High in 1935.  He was student body president his senior year as well as a top
athlete, participating in football, basketball, and baseball. He also won the football throw in track and field.  Patterson's
football team posted a 6-1 record in 1933, Del Biaggio's junior year, beating Oakdale 25-6 in a post-season game played
here on Thanksgiving day.  The next season the local team had a 5-1-2 record.  His gridiron exploits earned him a football
scholarship to Santa Clara University.  He was the punter on the 1936 team that won the Sugar Bowl.  His son, William
Del Biaggio  Jr., recalled that his father also played baseball for Santa Clara and once was sent to the plate with
instructions to bunt the ball.  "He hit one over the fence and got benched," the younger Del Biaggio noted.  He later got a
job selling beer in the Merced area for John Wieland Brewery of San Jose, and later became a salesman for the
Burgermeister company of San Francisco.  He founded his own beer distributorship in 1952, Santa Clara Valley
Distributors of San Jose.  The company was sold to Coors of Santa Clara Valley in 1991, and he continued working part
time until his death.  Del Biaggio regularly attended San Francisco 49er games and was active in fund-raising for several
San Jose schools including St. Patrick Parochial School and Bellarmine College Preparatory.  He also was active with the
West San Jose Optimist Club, La Rinconada Country Club, Santa Clara University's Bronco Bench, the Italian-American
Club of San Jose, and the Italian Catholic Federation.   Survivors include his wife, Kay Del Biaggio of San Jose; two
sons, William Jr. and Jim Del Biaggio; a daughter, Karen McGee; 10 grandchildren, and one great-grandson.