Mr. Yeprem Stephen Pilibos

The youngest of six children, Stephen was born to Armenian parents Yeprem and Mary Pilibos on November 22, 1911 in southwest Fresno. Stephen attended Edison and graduated from Fresno High School. He attended Fresno State College in 1931, graduating with degrees in Philosophy and Poetry. He attended USC Law School, graduating in 1935, and passed the bar in 1939. Stephen remained an active member of the Bar Association, but never practiced law.

A life-long grower, Stephen started farming at the age of 12. With his older brother, Alex Pilibos, under the "Pilibos Brothers", "Mission Bell" and "Imperial Garden Growers" labels, the brothers were at one time the largest cantaloupe growers in the state with operations in Imperial Valley and Mendota. Pilibos Bros. patented an "orange meat" cantaloupe variety and cardboard box design that revolutionized shipping for their melons. Pilibos was the first to plant wine grapes on Fresno's west side, contracting on a hand shake with Julio Gallo. They also were among the first to farm pomegranates in the Valley and grew cotton, tomatoes, wheat, sugar beets, peaches, apricots, almonds, pistachios, Satsuma oranges, pink grapefruit and walnuts.

Stephen Pilibos also loved real estate development and construction. He built and managed his own properties including shopping centers and office buildings around Fresno. In the early 1970's, he redeveloped two city blocks downtown along Van Ness between Tulare and Fresno streets. Most notably Steve built, owned and operated the Fresno Hilton Hotel (now Holiday Inn) for 25 years, giving the first home to the "Good Company Players" and "Club One".

Steve also enjoyed giving back to the community, to schools, churches, the arts, and hospitals. In 2001, he donated 13.5 acres in southeast Fresno to become the city's first dedicated soccer park, which now bears his name. In 2004, Steve donated another three acres for the development of "Trolley Creek Park", designed specifically to accommodate disabled children. This park features miniature Fresno landmarks and a replica of a 1920 trolley car which used to run along the streets of Fresno that Steve rode as a child.

He is survived by Lucille Pilibos, his wife of 64 years; his children, daughter, Sarah Pilibos and her husband Ralph Curtis; daughter, Barbara Pilibos Meinert; son, Alex Pilibos of Fresno; Mary White and her husband Kevin White, of San Francisco; and daughter, Catherine Pilibos of Happy Valley, Alaska; six grandchildren, James and Alex Meinert; Katy, Stephen, Lexie and Chase White; and niece Nadene Weatherbie of Fresno.

Visitation will be held at Whitehurst, Sullivan, Burns & Blair Funeral Home on Monday, January 27, 2014 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

A Memorial Service will be held at Pilgrim Armenian Congregational Church on First Street in Fresno, on Tuesday, January 28, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers please send remembrances to the Pilgrim Armenian Congregational Church; Terry's House; St. Agnes Hospital Foundation or the California Armenian Home.