Obituaries

Morgan A. Chivers, “Tony”, born on May 28, 1938 passed away in the summer of 2015, a victim of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Tony was born in Salinas, California and was the youngest of five siblings born to William Houston Chivers and Beulah Ruth (Mann) Chivers. Tony was predeceased by his wife of 33 years, Sandra Marianna (Scardigli) Chivers; his father William; mother Beulah; brothers; Roland H. Chivers; William “Bill” C. Chivers; sister, Patsy E. Jones. He is survived by his sister, Mamie R. Graber. He is also survived by his son, Daniel H. Chivers, Ph.D. and daughter, Cassidy E. Chivers(Zamczyk), Esq. and grandchildren, Paige M. Chivers, Callen H. Chivers, and Mila Zamczyk. He is also survived by daughter-in-law, Donna Marie Chivers, MBA and son-in-law, Bradley M. Zamczyk, Esq.

He is also survived by his wife of 15 years, Sharon Ann (Franco) Chivers and step-children, Joe Castro III and Maureen Castro, and also step-grandchildren, Alexandra Castro and Colton Castro. He is also survived by many nephews and nieces.

A resident of Danville, California, Tony was raised in Niles where he attended Niles Grammar School and later Washington Union High School (1956). He was active in athletics and earned six varsity letters and was varsity decathlon champion in his senior year. He was 1955 Player of the Year in Football; 1956 Captain of the varsity basketball team. Baseball was his favorite sport and he was invited to tryout with the Milwaukee Braves and played in several games at Seals Stadium.

Tony attended Coalinga Junior College, San Mateo Community College, University of California Extension and Alexander Hamilton Business Institute. Tony was an Industrialist with over 50 years dedicated to the manufacturing of gypsum wallboard. He started as a production worker in 1956 and began progressing up the ladder. After several years as a trouble-shooting superintendant throughout the country for Fibreboard Corporation and The Flintkote Company, in 1972 he became involved in the entrepreneurial side of the business as a co-founder of California Gypsum Products. In 1977 he co-founded Pabco Gypsum, a Division of Pacific Coast Building Products and was Vice President, Manufacturing. In 1984 founded Pabco Paper Products in Vernon, California. In 1987 he became a Special Advisor to executive management and also served as Technical Director of the Pabco Gypsum & Roofing Division. In February, 1995, Tony founded Continental Gypsum Company at Port Newark, New Jersey and their distribution affiliate, Liberty Supply. Tony was the Chief Operating Officer and Chairman of the Board. In 2002 Continental Gypsum Company was sold to the French company, Lafarge N/A, after which, Tony retired.

Tony was an innovator and inventor and had the only patent for a “means and method of recycling waste asphalt composition shingles back into the manufacturing process.” (US Patent No. 5,626,659) He also developed a process to recycle waste gypsumboard back into the manufacturing process and created a marketing strategy to maximize its benefit. Tony had a unique ability for revitalizing defunct manufacturing plants and making them economically viable. He was an empathetic leader and the founder of several 401K employee pension plans that were 100% funded with profits of the companies he managed.

Tony served on the Board of Directors of the Gypsum Association, an international trade association and in 1983-84 was the Chairman of the Board.

Tony was active in the community and coached CYO Basketball and Little (senior) League Baseball. He was a member of the FUSD Budget Advisory Committee; Moreau Catholic High School Finance Committee; and Moreau Catholic High School Board of Directors. He was the lead proponent in the establishment of the 401K pension plan for the teachers and staff at Moreau Catholic High School.

Tony had a deep love for his family of which he felt was his greatest accomplishment in life. He took a great interest in genealogy tracing his family roots as far back as 1560. He enjoyed family parties and took great pleasure in playing the guitar and singing country music which was enjoyed by all. Although he had a large repertoire of songs, his favorites were Hank Williams and Johnny Cash. During his younger years he was a founding member of Blackwell’s Racing Team (Niles) and raced his 1958 Pontiac and was undefeated at the local drag racing facilities. He also raced Class C TT dirt track motorcycles and in later mid-life enjoyed Sportsman dirt track TT racing against the “kids” at Fremont Raceway. He won a few races then hung up his “hot shoe”.

Tony also enjoyed his many friends and colleagues from his working career, especially Pacific Coast Building Products and later Continental Gypsum Company. He was especially appreciative of his long friendship (from the first grade) with Eldon “Colonel” Cordoza and Stan Rebello, both of whom grounded Tony’s roots to the Niles community and his many lifelong friends and teammates. Tony was proud of his large hilltop hacienda and along with his wife Sharon, enjoyed entertaining their many friends and neighbors of the Danville community. Additionally, Tony and Sharon opened their home to host several charity events of which they supported.

Tony was affiliated with the Lutheran Church and lived his life guided by the tenets of the long ago teachings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His favorite charities are: Children with Cancer; Wheelchair Foundation; American Cancer Society; Wounded Warriors; Washington High Football; Cabrillo College Women’s Softball; East Bay SPCA; Fund-a-Need; VITAS Hospice & Palliative Care, Hospice of the East Bay (with a special thanks to Elizabeth Felts for her spiritual guidance); and Alzheimer's Foundation. In lieu of flowers, you are encouraged to contribute to one or more of these charities.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11am on Friday, September 18 at Fremont Memorial Chapel, 3723 Peralta Blvd., Fremont, CA 94536.