California grower Jim Sarale of Queens Crown dies

Jim Sarale, co-founder and part-owner of Kings Crown Packing and Queens Crown, has died.

He died Jan. 17 at his home in Clovis, Calif. He was 78.

Sarale and four other growers founded Kings Crown in 1989 to pack and ship their Stockton, Calif.-area asparagus crop. As the California asparagus acreage dwindled, that company closed, but Sarale and others founded Queens Crown in the 1990s to import and distribute asparagus and squash from Mexico.

Sarale was born in Stockton. He was active in agriculture up until his death, according to his obituary.

“Jim truly lived life to the fullest and had an uncanny ability to reach people in a profound way,” according to the obituary. “His work was his hobby and lead to many close personal friendships and businesses in many parts of the world … especially in Japan, Mexico and Peru.”

Survivors include his wife, Sandra Sarale, daughters Lisa Gartin and Shelly Castro, and sons Jimmy Sarale and Steven Deupree.

Funeral services were Jan. 30 in Stockton.