Nick Poto

Nick V. Poto

Born Nicola Vincenzo Poto in Castelcivita, Italy (Campania region) as the son of Francesco and Angela (Tancredi) Poto.

Nick emigrated to Toronto, Canada, where he met and married Mary Jean Bartlett of Birmingham, England, to whom he has been married for 60 years. They headed south to California to escape the cold and snow, and settled first in Lakewood and then in Long Beach, California, where they raised their three children. Nick worked first as a machinist at Hi Shear Corporation, then left to establish his own business as a beekeeper, which he has run along with his two sons, their wives, and grandson for the last 40 years. Honey Pacifica products can now be found in grocery stores throughout the southwest, on the web, and at farmers markets throughout the greater Los Angeles area and in Orange County.

Nick loved talking about the bees, and had a real affection for these little creatures who worked so hard for so little pay and produced such an amazing variety of delicious honeys. He was very outgoing and would stop at ranches all up and down the 5 freeway in the central valley, talking to farmers about the bees and pollination and looking for places where his bees could work on different types of blossoms. Nick would work at the factory during the day, and in the middle of the night when the bees were all resting inside the hives, drive a truck up north and load and transport the bees to the next location where flower blossoms could be found. He also enjoyed family vacations in the High Sierras, fishing in the Owens River and in the Bishop area, especially Lake Mary, and watching Kobe Bryant and Tiger Woods on TV with his wife and grandson.

He is survived by his brother Joe Poto of Cypress, his wife, Jean, his sons Frank Poto (Carol) and John Poto (Nina), his daughter Sarah Edmonds (Mark Edmonds), and two grandchildren, Jonathan Poto and Leah Edmonds.

Luyben Dilday Mortuary (562) 425-6401