Oscar Hermosillo Sr.

Borne 1926 in Chicago, Illinois.

As a Master Carpenter at the age of 16 years he owned and operated a furniture shop which custom designed and made furniture for film studios. Some of the movies of that time still display rolling credits.

In 1948 he joined the carpenters union, local 1497 in the Los Angeles area where his expertise included all aspects of carpentry of residential home project construction. In 1949 he became project(s) foreman and soon thereafter became project superintendent in Orange County for numerous projects through 1955.

As a builder with Sunny Brook Homes from 1955 through 1962 he built approximately 3,000 tract homes. Some of the homes were resold to Walt Disney in the “Disney Dream Expansion”.

Mr. Hermosillo, Sr. also had dreams! The economy was great! The Beatles first came to the U.S. and the family including six children relocated in the Sacramento area to satisfy the demand for housing during the opening of Travis Air Force Base and McCullin Air Force Base. He and his then partner, Jack Justice built approximately 1,000 homes until Mr. Hermosillo, Sr. obtained his General Contractors License in 1962. While contracting and building custom homes in Placer County, he was intrigued by the beauty of that part of the country and the family settled into that quaint suburban community of Meadow Vista where his focus was building custom and luxury homes for the elite.

A decade of ambition and community service for that sleepy town and his compulsion to maintain good stewardship lead him through the ranks of the local Fire department to become Fire Chief.

By 1966 his reputation grew as a custom builder resulting from word of mouth and the recommendations of Banks and City Officials which placed him on the top of the preferred contractors list of that region. His role as contractor included a “hands on” service from designing and drawing architectural plans to even building cabinets and sometimes furniture to match.

Homes built by Mr. Hermosillo, Sr. were featured in Sunset Magazine that editorialized a unique style in building methods.

As a family business, Mr. Hermosillo, Sr. built several homes in Hidden Valley Estates, Calabasas while Oscar Jr. served his country in Viet Nam later to be united and purchasing HUD homes in bulk and other projects in the Los Angeles area where he partnered with his brother Luis and later worked with his son Alfred.

In 1985 OHTech Development Company was formed re-grouping the family business with a production approach manifesting into smaller gated communities and small to large commercial buildings while always maintaining an attention to detail and quality.

Accomplished projects included restaurants, schools, and showrooms of museum quality, Rodeo Drive tenant improvement and acquisition of a portfolio of apartment buildings.

In 2004 Mr. Hermosillo, Sr. took an advisory roll in the OHTech Development as Board of Director and engaged in development projects.

The recent years of his retirement he “mellowed”. He pursued his love of traveling with his wife Molly, fishing, smoking his pipe and grew to love his little dog Chiquita.

Oscar Hermosillo, Sr. peacefully passed away October 7, 2010 leaving his wife Amelia (“Molly”) of 61 beautiful years, five sons and daughter: Oscar Jr., Alfred, Nick, Dan, Peggy and will be joining son David. Another family chain is broken as he loved his younger brother Luis Hermosillo. His legacy of nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren remain. He was a mentor to some, enjoyed life and will be missed by all…

Visitaion will be Thursday, October 14, 2010, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with the Rosary being said at 7:00 PM, at Weaver Mortuary, 1177 Beaumont Ave, Beaumont, California. Funeral Mass will be Friday, October 15, 2010, at 11:00 AM, at All Souls Mausoleum Chapel, 24145 Barton Road, Loma Linda, California 92354. Interment will follow at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Cemetery, 24145 Barton Road, Loma Linda, California. Arrangements were entrusted to Weaver Mortuary, Beaumont, CA.