Julius H. Zolezzi

Julius was the first of five children born to Mary Carmen Salmon and John B. Zolezzi on October 21, 1929 in San Diego, CA. “Julie,” as he was known to his friends and family, was raised in Mission Hills on India Street and in Point Loma where he attended Loma Portal Elementary. He was a rambunctious child, always outside playing ball or riding around on his bicycle, never sitting still. As the third-generation son of a commercial tuna fisherman, he began working on the family boats at the age of 9 and it came as no surprise to his peers when he became a football, basketball, and track star during his time at Saint Augustine High School.

When Julie graduated from Saints in 1949, the high school quarterback eschewed several athletic scholarships for a life in the family business. Owning and managing boats, ascending to Captain of multiple fishing fleets (a title he held for 27 years), and creating lasting relationships with industry leaders, Julius became a pillar of strength and a spokesperson for his colleagues. He served as director and president of the American Tunaboat Association when San Diego was the “tuna capital of the Pacific,” ensured the construction of additional purse seiners (outfitted with mile-long nets, helicopters, and 1,200+ ton holds) in the heat of the industry’s economic boom in the 1970s and ‘80s, and played an instrumental role in the signing of the South Pacific Tuna Treaty in 1988, which remains enacted to this day.

He took great pride in his work and in his community but always crowned his family as his most significant achievement. The only force more powerful than sports in his teenage years was Marietta Sauer, a student at San Diego High School who became the love of this life. The high school sweethearts (a quarterback and a baton twirler, go figure!) were perfectly matched and married in 1950. They resided in Point Loma where they had five children, and remained married for 66 years until her passing in 2017.

Julius enjoyed an active retirement with memberships to the San Diego Yacht Club and the Little Italy Association (his family has held a founding seat since the board’s inception in 1997), and he was also on the founding board of directors for San Diego National Bank. He relished his time as the owner of a handful of racehorses, including championship horse Big Jag, that frequently ran at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Thankfully, his family and friends joined together to celebrate his 90th birthday last October.

He is survived by his children – John (Dawn) Zolezzi, Annette (Hector) Romero, Julie (Frank) Sanfilippo, Jeannine (John) Francisco, Thomas (Lisa) Zolezzi – and his four siblings – Mary, John, Mimi, Michael – as well as his 15 grandchildren and 19+ great-grandchildren, and myriad nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held after restrictions are lifted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bequests can be made in his name to the Saints Endowment Fund (Saint Augustine High School, 3266 Nutmeg Street, San Diego, CA 92104).

We will miss his sense of humor (“Is everything copacetic?”), his compassion and his generosity, and are deeply grateful for the 91 years that he shared with us all.