Rich Firato—known as Morgan Hill’s pirate and a devoted father, husband, friend and business owner—died unexpectedly of natural causes on Aug. 22 at age 64.
In a testament to his giving, welcoming nature and a naturally magnetic personality, hundreds of people—including many who traveled long distances for the occasion—attended a celebration of his life at the Morgan Hill Community & Cultural Center on Sept. 6.
Older brother, Al Firato, in on-stage remarks said he was not surprised by the turnout.
“Everybody knew that if Rich Firato was involved in an event, it was going to be a nice event,” Al said. “And everyone who knew him knew that he was a kind person, for no reason at all.”
Rich Firato “lived life to the fullest,” Al said. Rich was born in San Jose and grew up in Willow Glen. His family ran Firato Delicatessen—whose sign still stands above the former storefront—in downtown San Jose, and Rich was proud of his Italian heritage for the rest of his life.
From an early age, Rich Firato excelled at sports, and came close to embarking on a professional baseball career before a shoulder injury ended his athletic career, Al said. A few years later, after moving to Morgan Hill, Rich competed for a time in go-kart and stock car racing—a part of his life that generated numerous lifelong friendships.
By the early 1980s, Rich had married Julie Cerone, and in 1988 the couple moved to Morgan Hill—first to a home behind the old Capri restaurant on Monterey Road. Rich and Julie later moved to their current home off Hill Road, where they raised their three children—Nick, Giavanna and Alyssa.
Rich and Julie started their janitorial business, Firato Service Co., shortly after they moved to Morgan Hill. The business grew steadily over the years, and continues to succeed under Nick’s leadership.
Also at the home off Hill Road, at the encouragement and with the support of many longtime friends who contributed their skills to the effort, Rich Firato began to build his backyard pirate’s paradise. Complete with jungle and water features, skeletons, a poppy jasper mine and a replica of an 18th century Spanish galleon, Firato’s pirate’s cove became the site of community fundraisers, parties for family and friends, and a place where curious onlookers were invited for informal tours.
Word of the uniquely themed property grew, and Firato’s backyard was the subject in 2022 of a segment on Disney’s “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” series.
Earlier this year, Rich and Julie Firato created the nonprofit Morgan’s Cove Foundation, an educational organization that incorporates the family’s backyard as an outdoor classroom.
“The greatness of Rich Firato is the legacy he created with the Morgan’s Cove Foundation, a living educational historical experience,” Al Firato said at the Sept. 6 memorial. “Here, local grade school students are treated to an interactive classroom centered around the settlement of Morgan Hill from the early indigenous people on through to the Spanish involvement—a reality that textbooks simply cannot provide.”
Morgan Hill resident Ron Locicero was involved in Rich Firato’s recent efforts to promote education. Locicero has been in contact with local education officials to add Morgan’s Cove Foundation programs to public school classrooms.
Locicero said he, along with Julie Firato, Armando Garcia and other Morgan’s Cove board members, want to continue that effort.
“He is the most kind, warm-hearted person and he said he wanted his legacy to be doing something for children,” Locicero said. “He wanted his pirate thing to continue after he was gone—he was all in.”
Many who entered Rich Firato’s orbit early in his life remained friends and grew closer to him over the decades. Dozens of those people shared remarks about Firato on stage at the Sept. 6 memorial.
Michael Killingsworth began working for Firato Service Co. shortly after the family started the business. Killingsworth has remained close friends with Rich and his family—even babysitting the kids when they were little.
“He’s just an awesome man and the community loved him tremendously,” Killingsworth said. “He’s a very thoughtful, kind and giving person.”
Firato’s love of the community also shined in his volunteer work for the chamber of commerce, where he was a driving force behind the growth of the summertime Friday Night Music Series into a regional attraction.
This volunteerism and natural leadership tendency did not escape the admiration of local public officials, including City Councilmember Marilyn Librers, who credits Firato as a mentor “who helped my son become the responsible man he is today.”
“Rich truly cared about the success of others and organizations,” Librers said.
Tim Barci’s family and the Firatos have known each other for decades, leading him and Rich to a lifelong friendship that started in the 1970s. Barci has been by Firato’s side since long before the go-kart racing days, helped remodel his Morgan Hill home and had continued to work on Morgan’s Cove until Firato’s last days.
“He’s just a guy that everybody looks up to,” Barci said. “He’s an all around good guy—he likes to help out.”
Al Firato concluded at the Sept. 6 memorial, “This impressive man with a zest for life and a passion for his heritage was a joy to know and fun to be around. This community was blessed with a humbleness and a kindness that was Rich Firato.”
For more information about Morgan’s Cove, visit the foundation’s website at morganscove.com.
