Charter posse member Sanguinetti dies at 83

Marion Sanguinetti, a charter member of the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Posse and a founder of the Mother Lode Roundup, died Sunday at a Sonora hospital.

He was 83.

Sanguinetti, a lifelong Sonoran, joined 19 fellow cattlemen in 1948 in forming the posse. Ten years later, the organization put on the first Roundup.

The event’s first rodeo, held in May of 1958 at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds’ brand new arena, made $75.

“If it had been the reverse and we would have lost $75, I’m not sure there would have been a second one,” said Sanguinetti as the 50th Roundup approached in 2007.

A third-generation Tuol-umne County ran-cher, Sanguinetti was born on the family’s ranch east of Sonora.

He learned to ride at age 3, graduated from Sonora High School in 1943, went to work for the family ranch and never left the area.

Sanguinetti was the posse captain in 1956, the Roundup general chairman in 1975 and the event’s grand marshal in 1998.

Additional information about his life will be forthcoming in The Union Democrat.

Heuton Memorial Chapel is handling arrangements.