Kay M Roth | Contributing Writer

Mario Pastega, who passed away on January 20, was a true patron of life. He was 95 years old. Pastega spent many years in the Willamette Valley, moving to Corvallis in 1961 after purchasing the local Pepsi plant.

Mario Pastega hands out an award to Scottie Hurly at Inservice Day 2010. by Justin Bolger

A shrewd businessman who went on to own three plants, Pastega sold his plants last year after 63 years in the business.

While well known in the business world- he was named to the Beverage World Hall of Fame in 2002-Pastega was also known for his compassion and his community service. It was in the capacity of philanthropist that many people throughout the valley came to know the gentle man who always wore a Greek fisherman’s cap. He gave to organizations throughout the valley to help people lead better lives.

A strong supporter of education, Pastega was a trustee on the Oregon State University Foundation and made numerous donations to the college over the years. He was also a trustee of the Corvallis Public Schools Foundation when it was formed in 1996. That year, he also endowed the Golden Apple Award, an honor given to three outstanding teachers and a staff member in the Corvallis district. He also endowed similar awards at Western Oregon University and Linn-Benton Community College.

One of the other organizations Pastega supported was Albany Civic Theater. “Mario was a very generous man. He loved the arts and really enjoyed life to the fullest. He will be missed by many,” said Dr. Brad Townsend, the director of athletic bands at Oregon State University and an active volunteer at ACT. Pastega donated money to ACT in Townsend’s name three years ago, following that donation up with others in the name of area actors.

Last season, Pastega came to see one of his last performances at ACT when he attended “The 25 Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Sitting in his customary front row seat, Pastega settled in to watch the show. Word spread back stage and one of the characters, who usually drank a generic soda on stage, instead walked out with a Pepsi in hand. He went down the stairs and instead of drinking it himself, he handed it to a smiling Pastega.

We will miss this kind man,” said Christi Sears, one of the directors at ACT. “He was very generous and love to come and get lost in our productions.”

Pastega was well known at the house that bears his name- the Mario Pastega House on the campus of the Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis. With his wife, Alma, Mario donated $350,000 to start construction on the house in 2002. Until his health began to fail, Pastega would stop at the house, available to families with loved ones in the hospital, to visit with people, often times without anyone realizing who he was.

A member of the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation’s Board of Trustees since 1981, Pastega co-chaired the funding drive to build the Ralph Hull Regional Heart Center in 2002.

A community event that Pastega’s wife Alma spearheaded and Mario continued to support is the annual Pepsi Lights. Each holiday season, the Pepsi plant in Corvallis becomes a winter wonderland of holiday cheer that is free to the public. Many families have made it a holiday tradition to drive through the Pepsi parking area to enjoy the festive light display.

Pastega will be missed by many in the area who came to know the businessman as a friend, a mentor and an all around nice man.