Mario Lizardi Encinias, 66, of Hollister, California passed away quietly on April 15, 2026 in his home.
The viewing will be held May 1, 2026 at Grunnagles Ament Nelson Funeral Home at 11-12 with the rosary being said at 11:15 a.m. The mass will follow at 1 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church in Tres Pinos, California. A reception will be held at Immaculate Conception Hall following the mass.
Mario Lizardi Encinias was born in Flagstaff, Arizona to Mary and Manuel Encinias on November 3, 1959. He attended San Benito High School and graduated in 1978. Mario went into a culinary program at Mission College in Santa Clara, California. Though he did not finish the program, Mario worked, at numerous restaurants, as a chef, including Sugar Plum Farm restaurant in Hollister, He also started a catering business with his best friend, Doug Johnson, but continued to cater well after the business ended.
Mario had a terrible, life changing accident in 2001. Mario was wheelchair bound, told he would never walk again, but this was something that did not hold him back. After much hard work and rehabilitation, Mario was able to walk with assistance and decided to work with helping the community.
Mario also catered after his car accident. He also learned how to bartend and tended bar for many years at various long running businesses like Whiskey Creek, Johnny’s, and Ridgemark. He also bartended at the, now closed, The Office. Prior to this accident, Mario worked at Taco Bell and Jack in the Box, becoming a manager at both places. He was a manager at Jack in the Box at the time of his car accident in 2001. The accident derailed his plans to become a health inspector for Jack in the Box, which he was in the middle of taking classes for this position. He often lamented about losing the chance to travel if he had still been working for Jack in the Box. After his car accident, he began to get involved with various organizations in Hollister, among those organizations was HIRC (Hollister Independent Rally Committee) and Hollister Downtown Association. He received recognition for his work with both organizations.
He is survived by his sister, Josie Hernandez, his nieces and nephew, Monica Hernandez, Corina Hernandez, Breianna Hernandez and Raymond Hernandez, as well as all of his great nieces and nephews and his great great nieces and nephews, all of Hollister, CA. He is preceded in death by his mother, Mary Encinias, and his father, Manuel Encinias.