[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 82 (Tuesday, May 16, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E449-E450]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING MR. MATT STEVE PANDOL, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DAVID G. VALADAO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 16, 2023

  Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, along with my friend and 
colleague, Congressman Kevin McCarthy, to honor the life of Mr. Matt 
Steve Pandol, Jr., who passed away on April 21, 2023, at his home in 
Delano, California. He was 60 years old.
  The son of Matt and Lucy Pandol, he was born on June 27, 1962. Matt 
spent his childhood in Delano and attended California State University, 
Fresno, where he graduated with a degree in plant science. Following 
his graduation, he returned home to work for his family business. Matt 
married his wife Linda in 1994. They had three children together and 
raised

[[Page E450]]

them in his hometown. He worked independently and alongside the Pandol 
Family organization and served on the board of directors of Pandol 
Bros., Inc. and Delano Grape Growers Co-op Winery. Today, Pandol Bros. 
is one of the nation's top producers of grapes.
  Matt was a fixture in the Delano community. He was a parishioner of 
St. Mary's Catholic Church, a member of the Greater Delano Area Youth 
Foundation, and a member of the American Slavonic Social Club. He was 
also involved in the All Slavonic American Association of Fresno. An 
avid shooting sports competitor, Matt was a regular at shooting 
tournaments across the nation. He was a member of the Kern County Gun 
Club and other sporting clubs. He also spent time hiking, fishing, and 
enjoying the outdoors.
  Matt was a hardworking farmer, dedicated to producing the finest 
produce in California. He worked closely with his brother, Andrew, on 
Pandol Farms and cherished the time they spent working together. He was 
dedicated to the quality of the Pandol Family product. With his family 
name on the box, he believed the fruit had to be first class. His team 
was very important to him, and he valued their expertise and dedication 
to farming.
  Matt is survived by his wife, Linda; his children, Matt III, 
Stefanie, and Mark; his mother, Lucy Pandol; brothers Louis Pandol, 
John (Angelica) Pandol, Andrew S. (Beth) Pandol; sister, Margaret 
(Scott) Curtis; and mother-in-law, Gerry Marcia, in addition to other 
relatives and in-laws.
  Mr. Speaker, today we ask our colleagues in the United States House 
of Representatives to join us in honoring the life of our dear friend, 
Mr. Matt Steve Pandol, Jr., who was taken too soon. Our thoughts and 
prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time.

                          ____________________