Donald Vasconcellos, a long-time lecturer for the Plant Science Department and former community college administrator and agricultural educator throughout the state, passed away on Sept. 6 in Fresno. He was 80 years old.

Before he retired in 2023, he taught almost 3,000 Fresno State students in crop science, food science and environment classes. He also served as a campus FFA contest advisor and worked with high school students from across the nation who attended the campus USDA Ag Discovery program in the summer. Faculty, staff and students appreciated his humor and down-to-earth and generous nature.

In retirement, he was an active member of the North Fork Lions Club and the Holy Spirit Catholic Church as a Knight of Columbus, Eucharistic Minister and Stephen Minister. He was also an active gardener, landscaper and woodworker.

Vasconcellos was born on July 28, 1945 in Denair, California and learned about agriculture first-hand at an early age by growing up in a Central Valley farming family. He earned a bachelor’s degree in crop science and a master’s degree in administration from California Polytechnic Institute, San Luis Obispo. After that, he spent two years in Northwest Africa with the Peace Corps helping teach crop science, and also helped residents dig a well and learn to farm in Sierra Leone.

Upon his return to California, he taught agriculture classes at Mission Viejo High School. He later relocated to Rocklin and worked at Sierra Community College where he taught crop science classes and then became the Dean of Math and Science. He later moved to Ukiah, and held the position of Vice President of Instruction at Mendocino Community College.

Don was also an equally devoted husband to his wife of 44 years, Barbara, and they had four children, Anthony, Carrie, Anne and Rachel, 13 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Learn more about his life and legacy, and a mass and reception in his honor will be held at 10 a.m. Oct. 14 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 355 E Champlain Dr., Fresno.