Obituary: Steve Thomas Joaquin was born in Palo Alto in 1935. His parents, Thomas and Murial Joaquin, were farmers in the Chico community since 1940s. A third generation farmer and resident of Chico, Steve graduated from Chico High School in 1954. After high school, he attended Oregon State, majoring in Agriculture. He grew rice in Sutter County for six years, before moving to Australia where he grew 400 acres of cotton in the small town of Wee Waa, New South Wales. As well as cotton, he also started an enterprise of passion fruit and avocados in the town of Mt Tamborine, Queensland. To this day, avocados are still grown in abundance in the region. After returning to Chico in the 1970s, Steve grew Walnuts until his recent passing. His passions included golf, sailing, and traveling. In the 1980s, he pursued his dream of sailing the south Pacific, Mexico, Canada, and Australia. Steve is survived by his daughter; Denise Bethune, grandson; Brandon Bethune; his brother; Thomas Joaquin, and loyal dog; Gracie. Funeral service will be held at St. Augustine of Canterbury Anglican Church, 228 Salem Street, Chico, California at 12:00 pm on Thursday the 2nd of March. He will be buried next to his parents in a ceremony at Sutter Cemetery after the funeral. Condolences may be made at www.bidwellchapel.com
