Feature1

Notable Knight Sir Knight Francisco ( Pancho ) Zarate

     I'm sure to many of our local visitors, the gentleman pictured here with the familiar beaming countenance is easily recognizable. Although many of you know him, what you may not know is that although he has done many good things in and for our community, he comes from modest origins.

      Pancho's parents, Anselmo and Lydia, came to the States from Mexico in 1952 and settled in the Red Bluff area and worked in the agricultural industry. Pancho's father later became an employee in the local forest products industry as a mill worker for Corona Box and retired from the Louisiana-Pacific Corp. Sawmill in Red Bluff.   Pancho , born in 1954, is the eldest child and also joined his father working in the local orchards and learned several things such as picking fruit (manually and mechanically), pruning, and most of all that farm labor is a very physical profession. Learning the last lesson very well, Pancho attended Shasta Junior College after his high school graduation and then attended C.S.U. -Chico and U.C.-Davis where he graduated with his Law Degree in 1980. Pancho married Sara, his high school sweetheart, on January 18 th , 1974 (that's right, this January is their 30 th anniversary), and besides supporting him through school, gave him three children beautiful children( Gil , Rachael, and Gavin). Incidentally, Gil is also a Knight. in our Council.

      With his law degree in hand, Pancho began work with a local attorney in Chico. Passing the Bar Exam, he later joined the District Attorney's Office in Sacramento County (a 3 month appointment) then to Madera where he served as a public defender for two years (all this time his family remained in Red Bluff). Returning to Chico in 1984, Pancho worked for another private attorney until 1988 when he joined the Butte County D.A.'s office. In 1996 Pancho was promoted to Chief Deputy D.A. where he is currently supervising 26 attorneys, acting as the liaison officer with all other law enforcement agencies within the county, judges, and clerical staff.

Settled in Oroville, he and Sara enrolled their children in St. Thomas the Apostle School and Pancho was asked to join our Council in 1986. Rising quickly rose through the "chairs", he became Grand Knight for the '89-'90 Columbian Year and honored as Knight of the Year in 1993. In addition to participating in most every other KofC event, he was called upon by then G.K. Ernie Crego to take over the monthly KofC Pancake Breakfast which he has served as chairman nearly continuously for 15 years. At the suggestion of Francisco, the proceeds now are directed toward the Joe Ghianda Scholarship Fund which the Knights give each year to two graduating high school students whose parent or grand parent is a member of our council. Besides serving as a fund raiser, the pancake breakfast also offers the parish community an opportunity to come together to share in our fellowship with them. It additionally serves to incorporate our new members into an event activity where they can contribute their time and talents to a team that they can be proud to serve on..

      Pancho has always been active in organized sports both as a player on community league teams and coach on his kids Little League teams. As one of his initial tasks upon joining the Butte County D.A.'s office, he organized a coed softball team to compete in the annual Sacramento County D.A.'s tournament. Challenging other law enforcement teams for the competitive experience his new team needed, he soon recognized the other benefits of fellowship and camaraderie playing ball with other community members. He decided that organizing a local tournament was a worthwhile endeavor and it quickly grew into a twelve team event. Soon after the death of a local peace officer killed in the line of duty, the annual softball tournament was renamed the Randy Jennings Memorial Tournament (then later the Butte County District Attorney's Memorial Scholarship Tournament) and funds raised from it were donated through the Optimist Club of Oroville to scholarships given in the name of fallen law enforcement officers. It is during this annual tournament that Pancho has also involved our local council to provide food during the event (with all our net proceeds being donated toward the scholarship fund).

      In all these things, Pancho has organized and brought to fulfillment the principals of our order, Charity - Unity - Fraternity - Patriotism, in a quiet manner. He does not do it for himself, but for his fellow knights, parishioners, and his community. Not with his name out front, but with the humility that speaks of his beginnings. Pancho has always been a team player with our Council, parish, and local community. When asked what he wished for his children, he responded, "that their faith in God be as strong as his father's."; I don't think he need worry, the fruit does not fall far from the tree.

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