REAL ESTATE ICON FRED SESSLER DIES AT AGE 94
Vallejo’s ‘incredible treasure’
Fred Sessler, the city’s beloved “real estate icon” and lifetime Vallejoan, died at home Wednesday night, four months after surgery for an undisclosed illness. He was 94. Sessler operated Fred Sessler Real Estate since the early 1950s. His humble demeanor, pride in his hometown, and historical knowledge of the city were marveled by many.
“He was an incredible man, an icon in real estate, and a personal mentor to me,” said Vallejo City Councilmember and real estate agent Pippin Dew.
“We’re losing a true gentleman, a true friend in our community,” said Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan. “He respected our diversity and respected people for who they are. He was an absolute decent human being.”
Former Vallejo Mayor Terry Curtola said he lost “a very good friend” and “the city has lost institutional knowledge it’ll never get back.”
It was Sessler who led Ken Ingersoll to relocate his barbecue business from a trailer on Springs Road to where Gracie’s is today at Virginia Street and Sonoma Boulevard.
“After I had known him six months or so, he says, ‘I think I have a place for you downtown,'” said Ingersoll, eternally grateful for meeting Sessler 20 years ago and the business and personal friendship that followed.
“With Fred sick that last couple of months, I’ve had some time to think of our relationship quite a bit,” Ingersoll said, feeling guilty that “it was a horribly one- sided relationship — just all about me and very little about him. There was nothing I could do for him and he taught be everything about business. All my business relationships are because of Fred.”
Ingersoll said he never saw Sessler mad.
“With Fred, it was about integrity and patience. ‘ This is how long it takes. There’s no short- cut,'” said Ingersoll. “If you’re going to walk home, you have it in your head how long it’s going to take. You don’t argue that.”
Before COVID-19, Ingersoll said he would see Sessler once if not twice weekly.
“Whenever you’re looking for information, he had the answers,” Ingersoll said, laughing that he had “no idea” what Sessler saw in him.
“No question he was fond of me,” said a Ingersoll gratefully, reiterating “Fred taught me so much.”
Though Ingersoll considers Sessler “a legend — absolutely,” there’s no way Sessler would agree with a Fred Sessler Day or anything in town named in his honor.
“Because then the focus would have been on Fred and he was too unassuming for that,” Ingersoll said.
The news of Sessler’s death caught many by surprise, including Dew.
“I have been staying in touch with (Sessler’s son) Greg, and the last we talked, he said his dad was doing well,” Dew said. “They had taken his phone away, so I knew things couldn’t be great. Oh my God, I’m so sad.”
Sessler, continued Dew, “lived by the highest moral and ethical standards, both personally and professionally. He put the highest value on the personal relationship, and the world today would be a better place if everyone did the same. He was always available to me whenever I sought his professional opinion, advice and historical knowledge. Our community has lost an incredible treasure.”
Sampayan was “shocked, absolutely shocked” that Sessler died.
“Fred was such a wonderful human being and a Vallejo real estate icon. Fred was a person who always gave to his community,” Sampayan said. adding that he will offer a moment of silence honoring Sessler at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
Curtola said he knew Sessler 60 years, dating back to when “I remember having a drink with him when I turned 21.”
Sessler, added Curtola, “was sharp as a tack and just sincere, and he loved this city dearly. He knew more about the downtown historical district than any so-called expect.”
Curtola said he and Sessler became “very close friends” who teased each other about their heritage — Sessler being Jewish and Curtola as an Italian.
“I taught him how to eat Italian food,” Curtola said laughing. “Fred didn’t wear his religion on his sleeve, but as a Jew, he was so proud.”
In March last year, the Central Core Restoration Core honored Sessler with a lunch at the Front Room. Attendees included Curtola, Councilmember Hermie Sunga, ex-Mayor Tony Intintoli, and Economic Development Director Annette Taylor.
“Without Fred, downtown would not be the same,” Sunga said at the event, praising Sessler for brokering the Filipino Community Center on Amador Street.
“If not for Fred, we would not have been able to get that building. The Filipino community loves him,” said Sunga.
At that same lunch, Taylor praised Sessler for his knowledge, “how helpful he is and how he’s just an allaround guy.”
Tom Bartee, a Vallejo businessman and representative for state Sen. Bill Dodd, praised Sessler as “being in the forefront of downtown’s rejuvenation” and Sessler’s “comprehensive memory of the history of the city and the people that have made Vallejo great over the years. He’s helped many people develop their businesses.”
“He’s an icon,” agreed Buck Kamphausen. “The word ‘caring’ is one of the best descriptions you can make for Fred. When you needed an answer, he got it.”
At the March, 2019 celebration, the humble Sessler said he would never agree to a retirement party — mostly because retiring never crossed his mind.
“I’m very lucky,” he said. “Most of my faculties are still here. I work eight or nine hours a day. That’s what’s keeping me going at my age. And my Jewish sense of humor.”
Ingersoll said Thursday he was never surprised that Sessler worked almost until his final breath.
“Fred once told me that when you’re in your 50s and 60s, retirement is looking real good. It’s a goal that people have. When you start looking into your 70s and 80s, all of a sudden, retirement is not so exciting,” Ingersoll said. “You’re out of the mainstream and you’ve been removed from the day’s event and your ‘human capital’ is diminishing.
“I think even at the end, Fred was 95 percent of human capital.”
Sessler would never be the guy sitting alone in a park feeding pigeons as his time approached, Ingersoll hinted.
“He didn’t want to be one of those seniors sitting around, waiting to die. To Fred, that was unacceptable,” Ingersoll said.
It was always much more than earning a living for Sessler, said Ingersoll.
“It was the application of the trade, without a doubt,” Ingersoll said. “His only agenda was the welfare of the city.”
Sessler is survived by two sons and a daughter. Services are pending.