Family ties: A.T. Pancrazi built business and family in Yuma

When Ange Toussaint (A.T.) Pancrazi received his insurance and real estate broker licenses in November 1922, he probably wasn't thinking about how his company would be doing 88 years later.

A.T. was born in 1874 in the small town of Farinole on the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1889, at the age of 14, A.T. immigrated by himself to the United States to avoid conscription — three other brothers had already been drafted.

In Yuma, A.T. went to work for his uncle, Althee Modesti. Modesti was a local merchant who also owned the Agua Caliente Hotel and Spa, famous in its day for the restorative nature of its hot springs.

From that humble beginning, A.T. went on to establish a business that continues to thrive today under the hands of his grandsons. And he left a legacy of community involvement that lives on with his descendants.

A few years after A.T. arrived in Yuma, he was followed by his younger brother, Andrew. He, too, worked for Modesti and for a time managed his uncle's Agua Caliente Hotel. However, Andrew died at a young age and left no family.

On Oct. 21, 1895, A.T. became a U.S. citizen.

Two years later, A.T. left his uncle's Main Street store as a clerk to open a bicycle business. A year later he began working for the Southern Pacific Railroad as a car sealer because the bicycle business was “not paying.” In 1921, he became a Yuma postmaster before opening his insurance and real estate company in 1923 that was then located at 39 2nd St.

In 1902, A.T. married Catherine Balsz, granddaughter of early Yuma pioneer Jose Maria Redondo. Catherine's sister, Lilah, married prominent local businessman E.F. Sanguinetti.

The Pancrazis had five children: Mary Estelle (Dingess), Josephine (Beard), John Pancrazi, and twins Ernest and Robert “Bob” Pancrazi.

Estelle and Josephine graduated from the University of Arizona and both became teachers. Estelle was a well-respected educator and taught at Andrade and at Second Avenue Elementary School in Yuma for several years.

In an oral history, Estelle told of her mother and Uncle Joe, who had a meat market, making big pots of soup, turning the family home almost into a soup kitchen after the flood of 1916.

John attended Northern Arizona University and worked for Penn Sign Co. until his retirement.

Bob returned to Yuma after serving in the Merchant Marines during World War II and joined his father's business in 1947 when A.T. became ill.

Ernie attended the UA on the GI bill after serving in the Army Air Forces during WWII and worked for First National Bank before joining his brother, Bob, in the business in 1959.

Bob and Ernie's older sister, Estelle, played matchmaker to her younger brothers by introducing both of them to schoolteachers who were newly arrived to Yuma: Ernie to Pierrette Greff, and Bob to Carolyn Byrd.

In 1951, Bob married Carolyn and when it came time for his honeymoon, Bob left the keys to his office, customer files and safe with his competitor two doors down the street, Wallen Insurance. Bob trusted Frank Wallen to take care of the A.T. Pancrazi customers while he was gone for two weeks on his honeymoon.

When Bob returned, Frank had sold two new policies for him. A.T. Pancrazi Agency eventually bought Wallen Insurance when Frank retired.

Over the years, the agency continued to grow and when they needed more space in the early 1960s, Bob and Ernie moved the business to what had been their brother John's house on 4th Avenue.

In 1971, they merged with Lawler & Kehl Agency Inc. to become A.T. Pancrazi Agency Inc. and moved the insurance division to its current location at 333 W. 8th St. Bill Sexton, a principal with Lawler & Kehl, joined the company and remained with it until his retirement in 2002.

In that same year, the real estate division expanded and moved its offices to 350 W. 16th St., the multistory building owned by the Pancrazi family and Sexton.

Bob and Ernie are now both deceased, as are their brother and sisters. However, their sons continue in the family businesses.

Bob's three sons — Doug, Mark and Tom — all work in the business. Doug and Mark are with A.T. Pancrazi Insurance; Tom spun off the real estate side of the business and heads A.T. Pancrazi Real Estate Services.

Ernie's son, Peter, worked in the insurance business for several years before attending Berklee College of Music in Boston. Today, Peter is a well-known jazz musician in Arizona and often performs in Yuma.

Ernie's second son, Andrew, continues to work in the insurance business while pursuing his interests in music and flying.

On another branch of the family, Yuma County Rep. Lynne Pancrazi is married to Mike Pancrazi, one of John's sons.

Golf has always been a passion for many members of the family, and the business has sponsored several golf tournaments over the years as a way to contribute to the community. Bob was a founding member of Yuma Golf & Country Club. Both Ernie and Mark were past presidents and Doug served on the board.

In the vein of promoting good sportsmanship, one focus of the business is a commitment to support youth sports activities including Little League, soccer and high school sports.

Education is another focus. The Pancrazis have supported and served on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club and Yuma Catholic High School.

The family has also been involved with the business community, where Bob served on the board of the United Bank of Arizona when it was initially formed in the early 1960s.

Tom continues that tradition by serving on the board of The Foothills Bank and in 2006, he was appointed by the governor to a six-year term on the Arizona Real Estate Advisory Board. Both Bob and Mark have served on the Yuma County Airport Authority.

In early 2011, renovations began on the four-story office building where the real estate division is located with hopes to continue the growth of the A. T. Pancrazi businesses and values.

With several of the founder's great grandchildren in college now, the company is poised to continue the tradition and legacy of A.T. Pancrazi with a new generation.