Elmo leaves behind a legacy of love for his family, his farm, and his faith, as a devoted Catholic, Eucharistic minister, and member of the Knights of Columbus.
He was born in Nichols, California in 1932, to his Italian immigrant parents, Luigi and Luiga Bacchini. His parents purchased land in Oakley where they began farming with help from their 2 sons, Elmo and Tino, his beloved older brother.
Elmo went to Liberty High School, where he played football, and set a record as a pole-vaulter, graduating in 1950.
After high school, Elmo entered the US Navy during the Korean War, doing his training on Oahu, Hawaii. He was later deployed to Japan, and spent his final year in Guam, where he served as a firefighter during the infamous Christmas Eve fire caused by a downed aircraft on the island of Guam.
After meeting at an Italian wedding, Elmo married Delsie Stagnaro in 1958, and welcomed his first daughter, Francine, a year later. Although Elmo began his married life in a second floor apartment suite in his parent's Victorian home, he bought his first almond and walnut ranch in Knightsen, California when his eldest daughter was just 13 months old. He welcomed Kathleen his second and last child in 1961. He and the family lived at Rural Route 1 until 1968, when he moved his family to Linden, built a custom home, and began farming tomatoes, green beans, and sugar beets.
Elmo was a lifelong member of the Italian Gardeners Society, and in his early years was actively involved in cooking and helping to prepare for organization events and dinners.
Over the years, Elmo tried his hand at growing a variety of row crops, and inventing and constructing some of his own farm equipment. He was named “Corn King” by California Farmer magazine his first year of growing corn, for an outstanding crop. Today, his Chandler walnuts are among the highest canopy in San Joaquin county. Elmo is known to enjoy building and rebuilding antiques trucks and tractors, with John Deere being his very favorite.
Elmo leaves behind his loving wife of 68 years, Delsie; his children Francine (married to Ed Neir) and Kathleen (married to Ralph Hernandez); and 3 grandchildren: Max, Dominic, and Lisette. Elmo is also survived by three sister-in-laws Joy Atkins, Marie Stagnaro, and Josie Bacchini and numerous nephews and nieces.
A Rosary will be held at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 18633 E Front St, Linden, California 95236, on October 2, 2026, from 9:00 am to 9:30 am, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 18633 E Front St, Linden, California 95236, on October 2, 2026, from 9:30 am to 10:00 am.
Visitation will take place at DeYoung Memorial Chapel, 601 N California St, Stockton, California 95202, on October 2, 2026, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, and Committal will be at San Joaquin Catholic Cemetery, 719 E Harding Way, Stockton, California 95204, on October 2, 2026, from 2:00 pm to 2:30 pm.
