Erma Jean Louise Vigna

May 25, 1943 – October 27, 2025

Erma Jean Louise Vigna passed away on October 27, 2025, at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose,

California. She was 82 years of age.

Born in San Benito County on May 25, 1943, Erma was the eldest daughter born to Joe and Louise

Thomas. Erma was one of nine siblings raised on the Enterprise Ranch in Hollister, California. Erma

grew up working alongside her siblings on the Enterprise and Emmett Ranches, where her father, Joe, was

a grain farmer and cattle rancher, and her mother, Louise was a homemaker.

Erma attended the one-room Enterprise School for grades K-8. She graduated from San Benito High

School in June 1961. During Erma’s grade school years, she was a participant in 4-H.

Through mutual friend, Robert Scattini, she met the love of her life, Anthony “Tony” Vigna. On February

10, 1962, they were married in Reno, Nevada. Together, through thick and thin, they worked alongside

each other on the family farms they established, raising walnuts, apricots, prunes and growing hay crops.

In later years they established a small cattle herd. Tony and Erma raised a family of two daughters,

teaching them the values of family, hard work and the satisfaction of a job well done. Tony and Erma

were married for 33 wonderful years until Tony’s passing in December of 1995.

Family was Erma’s greatest pleasure in life. She was a dedicated wife, mother, sister, and Aunt. She was

never too tired or too busy for her family and worked tirelessly to make sure everyone’s needs were met.

When Erma was not with her family or working with her husband on the farm, she could be found at the

bank. For 53 years, she worked for local banks, until her retirement in 2014 from Vice President of

Customer Service and Operations with Rabo Bank. Erma was blessed with a gentle, kind and giving

spirit. She always went the extra mile for everyone. It was those qualities that held her endeared to the

many customers she served over the years.

Erma is survived by her two daughters, Julie Ann Vigna and Nancy Lynn Vigna, sister Lois Marie

Acquistapace, brother John Perry Thomas, sister in-law Angie Baker and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband, Tony Vigna, father and mother, Joe and Louise Thomas, brothers

Joseph Mendonca, Charles Mendonca, Daniel Mendonca, Curtis Mendonca, Manuel Thomas and Frank

Thomas, mother in-law and father in-law, Angelina and Louie Vigna, brother in-laws Joe Vigna, Dave

Baker and Al Demos, sister in-laws, Mary Demos and Rose Vigna Maranian.

Services for Erma will be held on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 10:00 A.M. at Glad Tidings Church

located at 34 Muckelemi Street in San Juan Bautista, California. All are welcome to attend. Private

burial will follow at Calvary Cemetary in Hollister, California. Donations can be made in Erma’s memory

to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or a charity of your preference.