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Ralph Faravelli, a former Mountain View Mayor, restauranteur and liquor company executive, died of natural causes at home in Folsom on Jan. 27, his grandson, Jared Faravelli, said. He was 96.
Known to many as “Mr. Mountain View,” Faravelli had a deep love for the city, championing its heritage and opportunities for future generations. But it was his congeniality that stood out and left a legacy for the city, according to several former and current City Council members.
“He was one of those people who could disagree with you and be very civil,” said City Council member Pat Showalter who served on the planning commission with Faravelli before he was elected to the City Council in 1995. Faravelli’s example of leading with civility is a model of governance that continues to serve the city well today, Showalter said.
Born on Nov. 11, 1928, Faravelli was the son of immigrant Italian parents who settled in Mountain View around the time of his birth. They were string bean farmers and owned a lot of land near Stevens Creek, his grandson said.
Faravelli entered kindergarten only speaking Italian, but quickly adjusted and thrived in social settings, a quality that he was known for later in life too. At Mountain View Union High School, Farvelli threw himself into every social club as well as the student council. “It started young for Ralph,” his grandson laughed.
Faravelli attended San Mateo City College and San Jose State University before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1950.
It was during his time in the Air Force that Farvelli proposed to his future wife, Carmen Holguera, whom he met in high school. They married in 1954 and had four children. They were married for 70 years, until Carmen passed away last year.
After leaving the Air Force, Faravelli worked as a national distillers merchandiser – a job that gained him the reputation as “the guy who introduced Bailey’s Irish Cream to the rest of the country.” Faravelli helped turn a small business into a major export and import company, his grandson said.
In the 1970s, Faravelli owned the Onion Barn restaurant in Los Altos and also was involved with his younger brother’s restaurants, Michael’s in Sunnyvale and later on at Shoreline. “He was in a little bit of everything,” his grandson said.
This included real estate. Faravelli played a part in Mountain View’s urban development, subdividing his parent’s farm into rental properties on Calderon Avenue and Dana Street.
A lot of these activities led to Faravelli’s interest in local politics, according to Matt Pear, a former City Council member.
“He loved Mountain View and the free enterprise system, which gave him much wealth through his warm, charismatic charm, which evolved naturally into politics,” Pear said.
A local politician with a “zest” for Mountain View
Faravelli served two terms on the City Council, from 1995 to 2003, and was mayor in 1996 and 1998. As mayor, Faravelli was instrumental in the creation of the city’s Escuela House Teen Center and supported many after-school programs as well as the expansion of recreational spaces like bicycle and pedestrian trails along Stevens Creek.
Faravelli was an advocate for young children too, and pushed for the city to install a boat play structure at Shoreline Park.
“He didn’t argue for a traditional playground with swings and slides and such, just a spot that was specifically enjoyable for little ones,” said Nancy Noe, a former City Council member. “Every time I walk by that play structure I think of Ralph, and in my mind, I think of it as ‘The Good Ship Faravelli.’”
Farvelli also had a strong interest in historical preservation, according to Sally Lieber, who served on the council with Faravelli in the early 2000s. He helped restore the train depot and was deeply involved in the city’s centennial celebration in 2002, she said. Faravelli also was a driving force behind the restoration of the Adobe building, a place where teens used to go to dance when it was known as the Eagle Shack.
“He had a tremendous zest for Mountain View,” Lieber said.
This extended to protecting the community’s quality of life. As mayor, Faravelli pushed back on NASA’s proposal to allow commercial cargo carriers to fly in and out of Moffett Field. Residents at the time expressed a lot of concern about the potential noise and air pollution impacts, eventually leading the agency to reevaluate its plan.
“It seems they finally heard the people,” Faravelli said in local newspapers at the time.
Faravelli is survived by three children, seven grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Rest in peace, Ralph. We will miss you.
Kathy Thibodeaux