Born August 10, 1923, in Farris Oklahoma 9 weeks premature and weighing 2 lbs. The doctor arrived at the home after her birth saying she would not survive. Her dad wrapped her up and put her in a shoe box on a wood stove door making an incubator for her. She survived a difficult birth. She was the first born of 7 children.
At 7 years old, a diphtheria epidemic ran through the small farming community. Little brother Doyle 3 died of the disease. Everyone on the farm had to be inoculated for the Diphtheria. She took off running when it got to her turn. Her grandpa Richardson chased her down a half mile, brought her back kicking & screaming to get her shot.
She grew up on the farm. Went to Farris school graduating 8th grade. For high school, she rode the school bus to Atoka Oklahoma 16 miles away. She graduated in 1942 valedictorian of her class. She later earned a teaching certificate and taught first through 4th grade. She only taught school for 3 months as she did not like teaching. She then went to Ponca city to a school where she was trained to be a "Rosie the Riveter" for Boeing aircraft.
She met Claude Bowman in 1942. They married in October 1942. In October 1943 she gave birth to their first born son who was stillborn. She gave birth to Linda Vonell in March 1945 in Oklahoma city. Claude was away in the service at that time. Jewell and Linda lived through a tornado in Oklahoma City on April 15th, 1945. The tornado took out the whole other side of the street and didn't touch their side. In 1944 Jewell worked at Tinker Field in Oklahoma City where she made machine gun parts and incendiary bombs for the war. After moving to Texas in 1946 she gave birth to Clifford in December 1946 and Neil Ross in 1949. In 1951 the family moved to Menlo Park, California.
She worked at a company that made light bulbs. She later trained in electronics and got a job at Ampex Corporation in Redwood City, California where she worked on a TV camera for NASA that broadcast the first TV pictures of a man on the moon. After divorcing Claude in 1966, she married Conley Wright in 1974. They later moved to Oregon for 3 years then returned to Stockton In 1979.
Jewell has had many surgeries over the past 50 years including 7 back surgeries, hysterectomy, a thyroid removal which her doctor told her that they nearly lost her 3 times while she was in surgery. She has always been a survivor until this very terrible bone marrow disease finally took her from us at 93 years. We shall all miss her and never forget the most wonderful life she has led. She and Con became members of an RV club for 10 years and she was an avid bridge player and social chairman of Summerplace Retirement Community for over 30 yrs. She is preceded in death by two sons, two husbands, parents, grandparents numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Jewell is survived by Clifford Bowman of Post Falls, Idaho, Linda Pranzini of San Jose, California, 8 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild.
Many close friends have passed before her. Now she joins them and someday the love ones she has left behind will be with her once again.
SERVICES
Funeral services will be held at 1:00p.m. on Tuesday, November 22, 2016, in the Evergreen Chapel at Cherokee Memorial Park, Hwy 99 and Harney Lane in Lodi, California.
Bonnie Lee Snyder passed away on Wednesday, November 9, 2016. Bonnie was a wonderful, thoughtful and caring wife, mother and grandmother who always put her family first. She loved having her family together whether it was cooking holiday meals, watching sports or playing card games with her grandchildren.
Bonnie is survived by her husband, Phil Snyder, of 58 years in marriage. They first met at the United Methodist Church in Lodi while attending MYF youth group as juniors in high school. They soon graduated together and mom attended Humphrey's Business College. She took her first job as an Administrative Clerk for San Joaquin County. After raising two children, Michael and Debra, Bonnie started her career with Lodi Unified School District in various clerical positions and retired after 17 years as school secretary at Henderson School.
1966 and went into farming, continuing a family tradition that began when his paternal grandfather, Giuseppe, immigrated to the United States from Sestri Levante, Italy in 1895.
Gary married Barbara Anne Scott in 1970, at St. Luke’s Church, in Stockton, and the newlywed couple celebrated their reception at the Italian Athletic Club.
Gary worked hard to provide for his family. Over the course of five decades, he built a flourishing career in agriculture, of which he was extremely proud.
A devoted husband, proud father, and doting nonno, he was equally proud of his family and raised his daughters to be strong, similarly hard-working and uniquely determined women. He was a true steward of the land and spent the little free time he allowed himself hunting and fishing, in California and abroad.
Gary was preceded in death by his father, his wife, and his sister Carol. He is survived by his mother; his brother, Robert; his sister Teresa; his daughter Michelle Caffese Dal Porto and her husband, Richard Dal Porto; his daughter Marie Burkin Caffese and her husband, Christian Burkin; and his grandchildren, Chiara, Rocco and Luciana Dal Porto, and Magnus Burkin.
RONALD LEO VALINOTI, a resident of Lockeford, California, passed away peacefully at his home on November 7, 2016, at the age of 81 following a protracted struggle with cancer. Ron was born in Tracy, California to Domenico (“Dan”) Valinoti and Isabel Delmuto-Valinoti on August 14, 1935. He attended St. Anne’s Catholic School and Lodi High School and was a member of the 1954 Lodi High School championship track team that was inducted into the Lodi Sports Hall of Fame on March 31, 2000.He Ron served his Country for 2 years on active duty in the Navy during the Korean War followed by eight years as a reservist. Following active duty, he attended U.C. Davis before transferring to Cal Poly where he received his bachelor’s degree in dairy science. Later, he continued his education and received a master’s degree in business administration.
Ron’s career began in Berkeley, California during the tumultuous 60’s where he worked as a health inspector for the Alameda County Health Department. He transferred to the San Joaquin County Environmental Health District in 1974 where he worked until retirement in 1993. He served as Director of the Health District from 1987 until his retirement. During his tenure, the District received national recognition for achievement in providing outstanding food protection services to the community. Following retirement, Ron continued in community service as a member of the board of directors for the Mokelumne Rural County Fire Protection District. He enjoyed pursuing other entrepreneurial interests including managing the family real estate holdings and his used car dealership.
Ron’s energy was unlimited and unending. He abhorred idleness. He was relentless in his pursuit of whatever task was at hand, including his battle with cancer. He was always willing to lend an ear or helping hand to anyone who asked. When consulted, he offered humble and sage advice on matters ranging from growing perfect tomatoes to charting important life decisions. He promoted hard work and discipline in all aspects of his life and instilled courage, motivation, and self-confidence in those who worked with him or knew him. Ron especially enjoyed spending time with his family at his beloved mountain cabin near Bear Valley.
Ron is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 60 years, Sharon; his daughter Dr. Jan Valinoti; son-in- law Dr. Parnell Galloway; son Kenneth Valinoti; daughter-in-law Shannon Hardin; brother Dan Valinoti; sister-in-law Barbara Valinoti, and sister-in-law Rose Mary Wiech. He is further survived by six adoring grandchildren: Mari Galloway, Sarah Galloway, Cristiana Giannini, Elisa Valinoti, Joseph Valinoti and Kai Valinoti and several nephews and nieces. The family extends its warmest regards and appreciation to the several caregivers who cared for Ron and provided him loving care during his final days.
NV. Frank was the first born son of Irene Warder Sales and Frank Leal Sales in Raton, NM. In 1962 he moved with his family to Lodi, CA where he met and later married Betty Coppler. He joined the US Navy and moved to the Bay Area to start their family. Frank served his country honorably during the Vietnam War aboard the USS Enterprise. After an extended stay in the Navy, Frank joined the Technological CALTRANS team and then became chief-troubleshooter for CALOSHA. His love for technology began when he was a teenager and extended throughout his life.
family and passed to heaven peacefully and in full knowledge of the love surrounding her. She leaves behind a wealth of accomplishments, recognitions and a community that holds her dearly and misses her sorely.Born in Oakland, California and raised by her parents, Geraldine and Carl Grath, she remained a California girl all her life building her family and professional life in the Stockton area. Among her many accomplishments, Nancy became a Deputy Sheriff in San Joaquin County in 1971 and was the first female on Patrol. She later transferred to the District Attorney's Office where she became a lead Investigator in the Parental Child Abduction Unit. She was awarded Investigator of the Year by California DA Investigators for her accomplishments in this assignment.
She was a loving and always courageous daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and sister. She was an unfailingly loyal, generous and steadfast friend to the many people she gathered into her universe. She enjoyed to laugh, to garden, to cook, to fish, to sketch. But most of all, her favorite past time was to cheer and support her grandsons in their many sporting events. She loved angels and has become one. She never boasted but accomplished and finished what she started with precision, and passion, and flawless results.
She is survived by her daughter, Heather Somers-Fontes; grandsons, Matthew Somers and Joseph Fontes; and brother, Carl (Susan) Grath. She was preceded in death by her parents; and husband, Edward Dos Reis.
Devon England and as an only child, grew up on the edge of Dartmoor in a farming family. Joyce continued her farming life after marrying her beloved husband John W. Mudge. After her husband passed away, Joyce supported the family farm with her two sons for a few years, then decided to retire and move to Stockton, California in 1995 where her dear friend and cousin May Eversole lived. By this time her eldest son David had also moved there permanently, followed by her other son Mark.
his life to support his family.