Our good friend Tomas Carrillo died suddenly at his Goleta home on January 11, 2025. He was only 61 years old. A beloved father, Tomas leaves behind his children Christy, Marcos, and David.
Tomas, or as close friends and family called him, "Macho," came to Santa Barbara from Zacatecas, Mexico, in 1979 at the age of 15. He decided to follow his brother Alvaro Carrillo who was hired by my husband, Fred Meyer, to work at his Seaview Nursery in Goleta. Macho worked 23 years with my husband as his lead foreman; he was a hard-working, reliable, dedicated, valued employee — and a good friend.
Following my husband's retirement, Macho worked 21 years for Por La Mar Nursery in Goleta with his brother Alvaro. For many years he also managed the nursery's operations for all the local Farmers Markets. His love for plants and flowers never ended, and he enjoyed working at the markets with his family, as they had local customers who came every week.