Joseph Gallo Jr., cheesemaker, dies; fought brothers Ernest , Julio for use of name

LIVINGSTON, Calif. - Joseph Edward Gallo Jr., who broke from his winemaking family to make cheese and then waged a high-profile spat with his famous brothers over use of the Gallo name, has died. He was 87.

Gallo died Feb. 17 at his home in Livingston of a longtime illness, Donna Bradley, a spokeswoman for Joseph Farms, said yesterday.

Joseph Gallo was born Sept. 11, 1919, in Antioch, the youngest brother in a family of winemakers. His two older brothers, Ernest and Julio Gallo, would later start E&J Gallo Winery.

After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, he returned to California to work as the ranch manager of his brothers' grape-growing operation in Livingston and also developed his own vineyard and a cattle business.

"He was a very hard worker and he had a lot of foresight," said Richard Witter, a longtime friend.

In 1979, Gallo built his first dairy with 4,000 milking cows. He followed it with four more and began marketing a line of cheeses with his full name - a move that caused a rift with his brothers.

They sued Joseph Gallo in 1986 to stop using the Gallo name and the youngest brother countered with a claim that the brothers owed him a third of their winery because they had used their inheritance to launch the business.

Joseph Gallo lost the legal battle and changed the name of his business to "Joseph Farms," a company that now employs about 500 full-time workers at five dairies and a cheese plant.

His wife described him as a kind boss who loved the outdoors and a good laugh.

"He had such a wonderful sense of humor, he didn't care if the joke was on him, he'd laugh anyway," said Patricia Gallo. *