Sonoma Valley lost another beloved native son this week when Lawrence “Pete” Viviani passed away quietly at home on Sunday, May 31. Born in Sonoma on Dec. 13, 1923, he had just celebrated his 65th wedding anniversary with his wife, Jacqueline.
Viviani had long been a familiar figure on the Plaza, where he operated the cheese business founded by his father, Celso. Just last year, the Native Sons of the Golden West (of which Viviani was a member) had placed a historical plaque on the cheese factory building on Spain Street honoring the Vivianis.
“He really enjoyed giving people a fun time at the store,” said his son, David Viviani, who said that regulars were known as “FOP” – for “friends of Pete.” Along with old friends such as George Wilson, a locksmith, Don and Dave Eraldi (of Eraldi’s men’s store), Milt and “Mugs” Castagnasso and other notable Sonomans of his era, he loved to have a great time, “and they all looked like movie stars,” said Viviani.
Pete Viviani, who attended Sonoma Grammar School when it was located in the Sonoma Community Center building, met Jacqueline Viviani met at Sonoma Valley High School, where Viviani had been class president. “They eloped,” said David Viviani, just before he was drafted into military service in 1943 at the age of 20. He was gone for two years, serving in New Caledonia, New Guinea, Okinawa and other locations in the South Pacific.
In 1947, Viviani returned to Sonoma and joined his father in making cheese, which the elder had been doing since 1931, when he started out in a partnership with Thomas Vella that was later dissolved. Viviani left to establish a cheese factory in Merida on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. “He loved building things,” said David Viviani, “and the Mexican government officials encouraged him because they wanted to provide better nutrition for the children. They were all drinking Coca-Colas at the time.”
After he returned to the Sonoma Cheese Factory, the company began to grow. “As the wine industry grew, the cheese industry grew,” said David Viviani. The Vivianis had always made Monterey cheese, known as Monterey Jack (after a man named David Jack), so they called theirs Sonoma Jack. “It was a good move, because Sonoma became famous. We were lucky.” In 1981, the Cheese Factory’s 50th anniversary, they were the first producer in California to develop hot pepper Jack.
Pete Viviani passed away in his own bed, next to Jacqueline. “He just didn’t wake up,” said son David. “It was as gentle as could be. He was (operating at) 110 percent up until then. On Saturday, the day before, he was still getting sales reports.
“One of the last things he said was, ‘Business as usual.’”
