Lillian Frances Nickerson

Lillian was born in Hughson, California, a small farming community just east of Modesto, to young parents and she remained an only child all her life. During WWII, her father Alfred James Laranjo enlisted in the Marines and fought in the Pacific Theater while her mother Lc Jewell Laranjo joined Bechtel Corporation and worked on various civil engineering projects around the country. Her mother’s wartime work necessitated a vagabond existence that Lillian endured with constant moves and never finishing a year in the same school. Sometimes, Lillian would be sent to live with her grandparents in Borger, Texas where her cousin June Laswell (nee Hoskins) lived nearby. June and Lillian stayed close their entire lives, including holiday and other family get-togethers.

Lillian eventually returned to the Central Valley and graduated from Modesto High School in 1952. Shortly thereafter, she married Thomas Wayne Mark and nine-plus months later, welcomed daughter Deborah Lynnette. The family moved first to Reno and then to Salt Lake City, where son Brandon Jeffrey was born, then returned in late 1959 to what is now known as Silicon Valley and eventually settled into a home in Palo Alto.

Somewhere along the way, Lillian and Tom’s marriage succumbed, and the family scattered. Tom moved to Florida, Debbie to U.C. Berkeley, and Lillian went back to Modesto with Brandon in tow. There she met and married her second husband, Robert Nickerson, and enjoyed several years in their house with a pool, and vacation homes on Monterey Bay and Incline Village.

Beginning in 1977, Lillian relocated multiple times for the sake of change or for a job: San Carlos, Foster City, Houston, Jackson, Novato and finally San Rafael. Throughout her life, by herself, with family or friends, and mostly with her son, Lillian traveled across the USA and around the world, visiting most every state plus more than 30 countries. She loved Mexico, any Hawaiian Island and China (she filled her home with a collection of Asian art).

Several years ago, dementia began to rob Lillian of memory and to change her personality in negative ways; it is a cruel disease. She became confused and angry and lost, and as happens too often, took out her frustration on those friends and family who visited and cared most for her. Lillian is now at peace to join in heaven those who preceded her.

Survivors include daughter Deborah and her husband Michael Corpolongo, and son Brandon and his partner Dion Coakley. In addition, there are grandchildren Lisa Nicole and Mark Michael, who along with his wife, Julia Ann, are the parents of Lillian’s great-granddaughter Anna Elizabeth.