Mary Evaleta Venturi

Mary Evaleta Venturi passed away at home on June 27, 2015, surrounded by her family. She was born to Leta and Richard Fairfield June 26, 1914 in Elkton, Oregon. Mary grew up in Grants Pass, OR. After graduating high school, she moved to Reno, NV, where she met her husband, Charles Venturi. After they married, they moved to San Francisco and later to a ranch in Warm Springs (Fremont), CA. Mary was a housewife and helped raise their daughters. A number of years later, Charles and Mary moved their family to Lockeford, CA. and settled again into ranching. They bought the dime store in town, Venturi Variety, which Mary helped run. With a love for dancing and a social life, Mary and Charles were active in the Lodi Italian Club and the Italian Athletic Club in Stockton.

Mary was an accomplished seamstress having attended Oregon State University summer sewing seminars throughout high school. Later in adulthood, she won a Singer Sewing Machine Contest with a dress and jacket she made. Mary was a 4-H leader who taught many young girls sewing, including her own children. When her children were grown, Mary began sewing for women in the area.

Upon Charles retirement, Mary and her husband moved to Stockton, CA. Mary continued sewing, always making her children and grandchildren handmade gifts. Mary also enjoyed crocheting and knitting and belonged to a quilting group. Mary loved to travel and she and Charles spent much of their senior years touring the United States in their 5th wheel.

Having lived over 100 yrs. Mary experienced many changes in her lifetime. She remembered walking across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco when it first opened; she saw the first passenger plane and gladly gave up riding in a buckboard for an automobile. She marveled at the invention of the internet and regularly used her IPad. Mary was happiest when surrounded by family and friends. She always lived in the present never needing to look back on the past. She was a true lady throughout her life and a wonderful caring woman, with a positive attitude which inspired all.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Charles, after 67 yrs. of marriage, granddaughter, Leta Venturi and son-in-law Donovan Goetz. She is survived by her three daughters, Carmelinda (Fred) Vescelus, Cheryl Venturi-Goetz, Joelle (Jim) Gatti, stepdaughter Beverly (Fred) Haro, along with ten grandchildren, Brent (Michelle) Vescelus, Audra (Mitch) McDonald, Rome Venturi, Andrene (Nick) O’Brien and Deanna Gatti (Nick Warntjes), Gina (Mike) Bellingham, Angela Gatti (Grant Hamilton), Rhonda (Mike) Wetzel, Daniel Scoggins, Dawn (Bobby) Woldridge, eleven great grandchildren and five great- great grandsons.

Funeral services are by DeYoung Memorial Chapel, 601 N. California Street. Viewing is Monday, July 6 from 3:00pm to 7:00pm. Services are Tuesday, July 7 at 1:00pm. Committal is at San Joaquin Catholic Cemetery in Stockton. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Children’s Hospital of Orange County, 1201 W. La Veta Ave., Orange, CA 92868-3874