With heavy hearts and enduring love, we announce the passing of Frank John Zalba, who left this world far too soon at the age of 52 after a courageous battle with terminal cancer. Surrounded by family, he passed peacefully on October 16, 2025, his spirit undiminished, his heart as open and generous as ever. Throughout his illness, Frank embodied grace and resilience. Even in his final months, he was a steadying force—comforting others, lifting spirits, and showing, by quiet example, what it means to live the virtues of faith, hope, and charity.

Born and raised in Wasco, California, Frank was the youngest son of Pedro M. Zalba and Ascension Zalba, immigrants from Navarra, Spain, in the Basque Country. From an early age, he was an example of patience and kindness. Frank was an altar boy with his brother Pedro at St. John's Catholic Church, played the trumpet in the St. John's band, found camaraderie and adventure in the Boy Scouts, kicked up dust and had fun on the AYSO soccer fields, splashed through childhood summers at the community pool and at home with his siblings, and spent many carefree days riding bikes and engaging in all sorts of childhood adventures with his neighborhood friends, including sleeping under the stars in the backyard. During high school, Frank was a proud member of 4H, raising animals with patience and pride, played on the varsity tennis team, and spent countless weekends working side by side with his father Pedro Mari Sr. in the Zalba & Azparren sheep business, where he learned the value of hard work and sacrifice. Frank also traveled often with his family to the Basque Country to visit his aunts, uncles, and cousins—a place that remained close to his heart for the rest of his life. Those trips nurtured his deep sense of identity, tradition, and connection across generations and oceans.

Frank graduated from California State University Bakersfield with a double major B.A. in History and Business. Throughout his college years, and while he obtained his real estate license, Frank continued working with Pedro M. Sr. in the sheep business. Frank's ability to balance the rigorous physical labor of full-time ranch work while independently pursuing and obtaining a real estate license reflected his tireless work ethic and clear commitment to personal and professional growth. Thereafter, Frank worked for Jean Laborde and Coldwell Banker in Bakersfield, and ultimately as an Appraiser specializing in agricultural properties in the Office of the Kern County Assessor – Recorder, where he spent the last 15 years. During this time, he pursued and obtained a range of professional certifications, demonstrating his discipline and dedication to continuous learning and self-improvement.

As an adult, Frank carried his childhood values into every role he played—son, brother, uncle, friend, and coworker. He was a man of quiet strength and steady kindness, the kind of person whose presence made others feel more at home in the world. He lived with intentionality and humility, rarely seeking the spotlight but always offering a hand, a joke, a listening ear.

In his final season, Frank reminded us all that life is not measured in length, but in depth. He gave us that depth—in laughter, tears, stories, and quiet love—and we are better for having known him.

Frank leaves behind his family who adored him: brother Pedro M. Jr., sister Mariana and brother-in-law Scott and nephews Xabi and Matthew, and sister Julie and brother-in-law Tom and nieces Alyssa and Natalia, as well as many extended family members and close friends who will carry his memory forward with tenderness and pride. He is preceded in death by his parents, Pedro Mari Sr. and Ascension, both of whom he lovingly cared for in their final years.

A funeral Mass will be held at 1:00 p.m. on October 24, 2025, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Wasco, California, preceded by the Rosary at 12:30 p.m., with a graveside memorial to follow immediately at the Wasco Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Frank's honor to Hoffman Hospice in Bakersfield, continuing his legacy of compassion and care.

Well done, Frank, thou good and faithful servant: enter now into the joy of thy Lord. Matthew 25:21.