Adolfo “Al” Escoto

Adolfo “Al” Escoto, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather passed away on Monday, November 13, 2023 in Santa Barbara, Ca surrounded by family. Al was the 4th of nine children, born to Manuel and Carmen Escoto in Santa Paula on December 28, 1939. “I was born next to City Hall, in my grandmother’s house…and I was raised right next door to City Hall,” Al told the Ventura County Star Free-Press in 1987. Al would spend most of his life in Santa Paula, building his family and becoming a pillar of the community. He graduated from Santa Paula High School, where he excelled in tennis and basketball, before attending Ventura College and later Cal Poly, Pomona. Al served in the National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve from 1962 to 1968. In 1964, he married Olivia (Luna) the sister of his best friend, Frank Luna. Together, Al and Olivia had three children, Eric, Martin and Francine. For nearly 40+years, he worked at the Ventura County Public Works Agency and for the County Board of Supervisors. Throughout the decades, Al entrenched himself in the Santa Paula and Ventura County communities. He helped found the Santa Paula chapter of the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), served as Director of the United Way for Ventura County, and served as Commissioner and Chairman of the Board of the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) . He was Chairman of the Board for the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) . He was a member of the Knights of Columbus serving as Grand Knight. Member of Rotary Club and the (Jaycees) Junior Chamber. In 1984, Al won a seat on the Santa Paula City Council. In 1987 served as Mayor for the City of Santa Paula. In his later years, Al enjoyed spending time with his growing family, often taking his children and grandchildren to Ventura and Santa Barbara county beaches and sporting events. He continued to play tennis and enjoyed watching sports, especially USC football. He attended his children and grandchildren sporting and scholastic events. Family members remember Al as kind, warm, witty and generous with both his time and spirit. He was known as a committed family man and a great friend to many. Olivia remembers him as a warm person, loving too all, an amazing father and grandfather and dedicated to the community. He gave so much of himself, always thinking of others first. His grandchildren were the apple of his eye and he was a father figure to them. He will be dearly missed. He was preceded in death by his siblings, Peter and Manuel Escoto. He is survived by his wife, Olivia Escoto; his son Eric (Gretchen) Escoto, their children Ethan and Bella; his son Martin, his children Luna and Landon; and his daughter Francine (John) Ortiz, and her children Kassandra Rosales (Daniel Hernandez), Kandice (Christian) Martinez, Ashton Escoto-Ellison (Harley Posada) and Richard Escoto-Ortiz. He is also survived by his great grandchildren from Kassandra, Daniel and Joseph Hernandez, and from Kandice, Elena Martinez. He is survived by his siblings Michael (Susan) Escoto, Ted (Rosie) Escoto, Roman (Julie) Escoto, Annie (Eddie) Mendoza, Irene (Charlie) Garcia and Albert (Patricia) Escoto.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, December 30, 2023 at 10a.m. at Saint Sebastian Catholic Church in Santa Paula. Committal and Interment will follow at Santa Paula Cemetery. To sign the family’s online guest book, share stories and post pictures please visit our website: www.santapaulafuneralhome.com and click on Al’s name located in Recent Obituaries.

Funeral Arrangements are under the direction of the Family Owned & Operated ROBERT REY GARCIA JR FUNERAL SERVICES, SANTA PAULA, CA 805.229.7054