Sierra View Sales co-founder dies at 55
Sierra View Sales co-founder dies at 55
James Dale (J.D.) Ward Jr., co-founder of Sierra View Sales in Fresno, CA, died Dec. 9 in Lenox, IA, where he had been living for the past 18 months since moving from Fresno, CA. He was 55.
The cause of death was not revealed.
Born Aug. 7, 1953 in Fremont, NE, Mr. Ward served for three years in the U.S. Marine Corps and then worked as a carpenter and house builder until a back injury made it necessary for him to pursue other work. He joined the sales team at Mendelson-Zeller Co. Inc. in Fresno, where his mother, Ruth Sanders, was sales manager for the Central California office.
"J.D. worked for Mendelson-Zeller from 1982 to 1991, and then he and his mother formed Sierra View Sales," which was the exclusive sales agent for Vignolo Farms in Shafter, CA, said Jay Stover, now a salesman at Fazio Marketing Inc. in Fresno, who had worked with both Mr. Ward and his mother at both M-Z and Sierra View. "They had that business until 2002. Ruth and J.D. were very dear friends of mine."
After selling Sierra View Sales to Jerry Scharton in 2002, Mr. Ward and his mother both retired from the produce business. "His mom passed away in spring 2006," at which time Mr. Ward "moved back to Iowa," Mr. Stover said. Mr. Ward is survived by his son, James Dale Ward III, of Everett, WA.
The cause of death was not revealed.
Born Aug. 7, 1953 in Fremont, NE, Mr. Ward served for three years in the U.S. Marine Corps and then worked as a carpenter and house builder until a back injury made it necessary for him to pursue other work. He joined the sales team at Mendelson-Zeller Co. Inc. in Fresno, where his mother, Ruth Sanders, was sales manager for the Central California office.
"J.D. worked for Mendelson-Zeller from 1982 to 1991, and then he and his mother formed Sierra View Sales," which was the exclusive sales agent for Vignolo Farms in Shafter, CA, said Jay Stover, now a salesman at Fazio Marketing Inc. in Fresno, who had worked with both Mr. Ward and his mother at both M-Z and Sierra View. "They had that business until 2002. Ruth and J.D. were very dear friends of mine."
After selling Sierra View Sales to Jerry Scharton in 2002, Mr. Ward and his mother both retired from the produce business. "His mom passed away in spring 2006," at which time Mr. Ward "moved back to Iowa," Mr. Stover said. Mr. Ward is survived by his son, James Dale Ward III, of Everett, WA.
