Albert James Vidano

Albert James Vidano (“Jim”), 93, passed away on Feb. 16, 2023, of cardiopulmonary/respiratory complications. Jim was born on April 3, 1929, in Globe, Arizona, to parents Bert and Ernesta (Bertino) Vidano. He went to elementary school in Globe and high school in Coolidge, Arizona where he served as class president and lettered in four varsity sports.

He attended Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri before going to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. After graduating in 1953 from the U.S. Naval Academy, he served as an artillery officer in the United States Marine Corps.

During his career, he spent a year in Vietnam during the war and three years in Japan, Okinawa, and South Korea. In January 1978, he retired at Camp Pendleton, California as a Lieutenant Colonel, and began a 12-year career in the banking industry.

While in banking, Jim served as the manager of Southwest Bank before retiring from banking in 1990. In addition, Jim served for many years on the Board of Directors for the Fallbrook Hospital.

Jim and his wife, Hildreth Marie (Wood) Vidano (“Marie”), married in 1955 and enjoyed 67 years of life together. They resided in Fallbrook, California for 26 years where all four of their sons graduated from Fallbrook Union High School. For the past 24 years they resided in Carlsbad, California.

Jim was a devoted husband and father, coaching his sons’ youth football, baseball, and basketball teams and cheering from the stands when he was not coaching. Jim was an avid runner, taking up the sport in the 1970s before it was popular and continuing to run daily into his 60s. He also enjoyed traveling, fishing, gardening, and keeping the family home in good repair.

Jim was gregarious, liked to dance, enjoyed family gatherings, and was quite the storyteller. Jim had a funny side and a serious side. For example, he loved to dress up in Halloween costumes and greet the neighborhood kids at the door, but he was also a natural leader who faced each of life’s challenges with energy, integrity, compassion and humor.

He was very proud of his family, his Italian heritage, the United States Marine Corps, and his country. Jim hung the American flag in front of his house almost every day during the last 24 years.

Jim is survived by his wife, four sons, their spouses, and nine grandchildren:

● James (“Jim”) and Kathleen (“Kathy”) Vidano (San Francisco, CA) –

Children: Tyler, Laura

● Paul and Sally Vidano (Scottsdale, CA) – Children: Conner, Christopher, Trevor

● Thomas (“Tom”) and Elizabeth (“Betsy”) Vidano (Bethesda, MD) –

Children: James, Catherine (“Kate”)

● Charles and Michelle Vidano (Atherton, CA/Madrid, Spain) –

Children: Maxton, Carson

Thank you to the medical personnel at Scripps Memorial, Encinitas, California for their compassion and professionalism during Jim’s final days.

Jim will be deeply missed by his friends and family.