Peter F. Huntsinger; Head of Family Turkey Ranch
Peter F. Huntsinger, owner and operator of the Huntsinger Turkey Ranch based in Santa Clarita, has died. He was 66.
Huntsinger died Nov. 14 of cardiac arrest at Desert Hospital in Palm Springs, said his son, Peter F. Huntsinger Jr. of Valencia.
The ranch slaughters about 70,000 free-range turkeys a year. In business since 1934, the Huntsinger family developed a way of cleaning the birds and removing pinfeathers in the 1940s, making the turkeys “oven ready.” Huntsinger turkeys are marketed throughout Southern California, Nevada and Arizona.
In 1968, Huntsinger was a founding trustee of the College of the Canyons, a community college in Santa Clarita. He served on the board until 1983 and was board president for three terms.
A native of the San Fernando Valley, Huntsinger graduated from UC Berkeley and served in the Army in Korea.
In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife, Joan; three daughters, Sandy Martinez of Lake Arrowhead, Robin Kirby of Newhall and Karen Brouillette of Grants Pass, Ore.; three brothers and a sister, and 10 grandchildren.
The family has asked that memorial contributions be made to the American Heart Assn.
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