George James Salwasser Jr.

George Salwasser, Jr. was born in Fresno, California on October 25, 1975, the first born and only son of George Salwasser, Sr. and Charlotte Salwasser of Kerman, California. A very successful athlete from a young age, he began playing soccer at age five, and by age 17, he was traveling through Europe representing the USA on the US Ambassador and Team USA soccer teams. He also played baseball and was on the diving team for Kerman High School. George loved to water ski on the Mendota Slough or anywhere else he could find water for his boat, and loved trout fishing. George met the love of his life, Misty Mae Flores in November 2000, and they were married three months later. Together they built a beautiful life, a successful farming business, and have four children between them. Misty’s large extended family quickly became his family, and he loved and cared for them all very much. George loved to travel with his wife and children, and took them on many adventures to many different places. He never met a stranger, and made new friends wherever they would go. Always the life of the party, George loved to be surrounded by family and friends, and was always doing something silly, including singing along with any type of music, even when he did not know the words.

A fourth generation raisin grower, George loved and believed in the tradition of farming set forth by his grandparents and parents before him. With support and education from his parents he built a successful farming business of his own, and his goal was always to make his parents proud. He was not afraid of hard work and worked tirelessly day and night doing what he loved, working in the vineyards and orchards from early in the morning to late into the night. He was most at home outside on the ranch farming. All who knew him described him as a “good hard-working kid.” What they also knew was that even above farming, he loved his family. He was a loving husband to his wife, an outstanding father to his four children, “Crazy Uncle George” to his nephew, caring brother, grown up son who loved his mama and a loyal loving support system and friend to his father. With a smile that would light up any room, and a heart as big as the acres of land he farmed, he was always concerned about others. In the middle of all his hard work, he always managed to make time for what he said was REALLY important, his family and friends. His employees will tell you that he was always more concerned about them than about himself, and he would do anything to help anyone. If you needed anything, you just had to call, and more often than not, you didn’t even have to call, he would just show up. George was genuine, fun-loving, generous, and lived his life to the fullest everyday. He was truly an outstanding example for his children and others to follow.

George is preceded in death by his grandparents, Walter and Lillian Salwassser of Kerman, and Ted and Lillian Caprioglio of Kerman.

George leaves behind his wife, Misty Salwasser, his sons George and Michael, his daughters Jessica and Skye, his father George Salwasser, Sr, his mother, Charlotte Salwasser, his sister Keri Salwasser and her fiancé Memo Morelos, nephew, Jason, nieces Luz and Victoria, and a large extended family and many others who will all miss him dearly.

As George loved children, in lieu of flowers, the family requests that remembrances be made to the children’s charity of the donors choice.

Visitation will be held at Stephens & Bean Chapel on Saturday & Sunday from 1:00 - 5:00. A Graveside Service will be Monday, May 19, 2014, 10:00 am at Fresno Memorial Gardens.

The family of slain Biola-area farmer George Salwasser Jr. released a statement Wednesday morning, mourning a man with "a heart as big as the acres of land he farmed."

Salwasser, 38, was shot and killed Thursday night on his ranch while checking out suspicious activity reported by a worker. Sheriff Margaret Mims said Salwasser surprised a group of people who were stripping a pickup truck near Howard Avenue north of Shields Avenue.

Four people are being held in Fresno County Jail in connection with the murder, each held on $1.5 million bail. Their first court hearing Tuesday was continued until May 22 to give lawyers time to read investigative reports.

Fresno City Council Member Paul Caprioglio, a relative of Salwasser, distributed the statement, which concludes that the family "can only hope and pray that somehow justice will be served, and that something positive arises from this terrible tragedy."

The full statement:

"It is with the deepest regret and sadness that we respond to the death of our husband, father, son, and brother, George Salwasser Jr. In the midst of the sadness and tragedy is it most important to us, his family, that we relay to everyone what a wonderful man that has been taken away from us too soon.

"George was a farmer who worked tirelessly day and night doing what he loved, working in the vineyards and the orchards from early in the morning to late into the night. He loved and believed in the tradition of farming set forth by his grandparents and parents before him, and was not afraid of hard work. All who knew him described him as a 'good, hard-working kid.'

"What they also knew was that even above farming, he loved his family. He was a loving husband to his wife of 13 years, an outstanding, highly involved father to his four children, 'Crazy Uncle George' to his nephew, a caring brother, a grown-up son who loved his mama, and a loyal, loving support system and friend to his father. With a smile that would light up any room, and a heart as big as the acres of land he farmed, he was always concerned about others. His employees will tell you that he was always more concerned about them than about himself, and he would do anything to help anyone.

"There are no words to truly express how devastated we are to have lost such a beautiful person in our lives. We may never understand this senseless, unnecessary act of violence, but pray that all who hear the story will not focus on the evil that caused this loss, but on the memory of the man who touched so many lives in a positive way.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has shown their love and support in our time of grief, with a special thanks to Sheriff Margaret Mims, detective Mark Chapman, and the Fresno County Sheriff's Office for their swift and comprehensive work, and can only hope and pray that somehow justice will be served, and that something positive arises from this terrible tragedy."

Arrangements under the direction of Stephens & Bean Funeral Chapel, Fresno, CA.