Obituary: Modesto's Mervin Amerine loved flying, turkeys, GOP

By JOHN HOLLAND
jholland@modbee.com

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Mervin Amerine reached unusual heights in a career that involved a lot of flying.

He flew Ronald Reagan around the state during his successful campaign for governor in 1966.

Using the same DC-3, he delivered tens of thousands of baby turkeys at a time from Amerine Turkey Breeding Farms of Oakdale.

Unknown - Mervin Amerine

And during World War II, he flew B-29 Superfortress bombers, helping to seal the defeat of Japan.

Mr. Amerine, who died Aug. 3 at 85 after a long illness, was remembered as a visionary in the turkey business and a man who loved to fly.

"He was outstanding in promoting California turkeys and California turkey products," said Bob Thomas, co-owner of Sunshine Turkey Farms in Snelling.

Mr. Amerine was born in Modesto on April 21, 1923. He attended Modesto High School and Modesto Junior College.

He and his family started their turkey company in 1948. It pioneered the use of planes to deliver poults, as newly hatched turkeys are known, to farmers around the country. Amerine's turkeys were well regarded for their fast growth, high meat content and other qualities, Thomas said.

The company was sold to Consolidated Foods Corp. of Chicago in 1970.

Mr. Amerine went on to serve as general manager of the San Joaquin Valley Turkey Growers Association and as a turkey marketing and sales representative for Valchris Inc.

In 1983, he was named general manager of the California Turkey Industry Board. He retired in 1991, when it became the California Poultry Industry Federation and hired Bill Mattos to lead it.

Mattos, who still is president of the Modesto-based group, said Mr. Amerine brought the state's turkey industry to its peak.

"Merv had a flair for marketing, and he understood the industry," he said.

Mr. Amerine was credited with helping make turkey a year-round food for many consumers, rather than just a holiday meal.

During the war, he served in a squadron that took before and after photographs of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He also served during the Korean War.

In a 2004 interview with The Bee, Mr. Amerine recalled how he helped Reagan during the future president's first race for governor. A self-described "gung-ho Republican," Mr. Amerine offered one of his three DC-3's and his piloting skills to the campaign.

He ended up taking Reagan and campaign reporters all over the state — and helping to ease the candidate's fear of flying. The press corps, which dubbed the plane the Turkey Bird, was heard to praise smooth landings with a chorus of "gobble, gobble, gobble."

Mr. Amerine served on the California Aeronautics Board during Reagan's tenure. He was a delegate to the 1968 convention that nominated Richard Nixon for president.

Mr. Amerine served two terms on the board of the Oakdale Irrigation District and was a director of the Oakdale Golf and Country Club for two terms.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Amerine; two children, Cavan Amerine of Manteca and Barbara Kollmeyer of Waterford; two brothers, Dick Amerine of Modesto and Raegan Amerine of Oakdale; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church in Turlock.

Bee staff writer John Holland can be reached at jholland@modbee.com or 578-2385.