Milton "Mitty" R. Hitchcock, 81, of Hollister, passed away Monday, Nov. 13, 2006.

He was born Sept. 28, 1925, in Salinas, to Milton and Louise Hitchcock, third generation of a pioneer Salinas Valley family. He graduated from Salinas High School in 1944 and served his country in the Merchant Marines before attending the University of California, Davis. He graduated in 1950 from Davis and worked for his father at Hitchcock Packing. During Mitt's produce career, he worked at Salinas Marketing Coop, NH3 Fertilizer, partnered in LetUsPak, co-owned C&H Packing and was a custom grower for various produce companies. He was in the produce industry for 40 years. Mitt retired in 1993 and was an avid bird hunter and fisherman.

Military service: He served in the Merchant Marines.

Memberships: He was a member of the Elks, National Rifle Association, SIRS, Salinas Golf and Country Club, Bolado Park Golf Course and Ducks Unlimited and was a charter member of the Salinas Gun Club.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, JoAnne Kelly Hitchcock, who died in 1992.

Survivors: Wife of 14 years, Nadine Sparling Hitchcock of Hollister; sons and their spouses, Michael (Claudette) Hitchcock of Salinas, Charlie (Tammy Lockwood) Hitchcock of Lockwood, John (Paula) Hitchcock of Seattle; and granddaughter, Kelly Hitchcock of Seattle; brothers and sisters-in-law, Tom (Gerry) Hitchcock of Sa linas, and Budd (Leah) Hitchcock of Salinas; Nadine's family, Ed and Pattie Sparling of Hollister, Nada and Dennis Poletti of Hollister, Everett and Liz Sparling of Hollister, Zane Poletti and Tyler Poletti of Hollister; in-laws, Barney and Punkie Tranberg of Hollister and Stan and Meredith Schmidt of Los Altos; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.