Laurel Lea Officer

Lifetime resident, Laurel Lea Officer, 86 of Visalia, California passed away after a four year battle with lung cancer on Friday, January 24, 2014, in Visalia, California surrounded by her loving family.

Laurel was born in Exeter, California, on December 3, 1927, to Chauncey Lennox Martin and Estella Ruth Criswell Martin. She was raised and educated in Exeter and Visalia. On March 6, 1945 at the age of seventeen Laurel married Kenneth Dean Officer in Reno, Nevada, and they made their first home in Tonopah, Nevada, where Ken was stationed during WWII. She graduated from Tonopah High School in 1945. Laurel retired from the Southern California Gas Company after working for thirty years as a bookkeeper. She loved being a homemaker for her family and times spent with her family were cherished memories. Laurel was very independent and shared her thoughts and feelings openly. She and Kenneth danced together every chance they got. She bowled and water skied when she was younger, and she enjoyed golfing, crocheting, and doing jigsaw puzzles. She and Ken spent many happy hours playing cards. She was an excellent cook. Laurel and Ken spent many enjoyable years traveling the United States in their fifth-wheel travel trailer. Laurel will always be remembered as a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother and will be greatly missed by her family and those who knew and loved her.

Laurel was preceded in death by her daughter, Gayle Lucas and by her brother, Lynn F. Martin.

She leaves to cherish her memory, her loving husband of 68 years, Kenneth of Visalia; her daughter, Dynell Rocha and husband, John of Visalia; her sister-in-law, Bonnie Martin of Fresno; two grandchildren, Brett Rocha and wife Norma and Brandy Wilson and husband Steve and three very special great grandchildren, Brittini and Bethany Wilson, and Brice Rocha. She liked to call them the three B’s.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2014, at 11 a.m. at Miller Memorial Chapel, 1120 W. Goshen Avenue in Visalia.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Laurel’s name to the Gayle Officer Lucas Memorial Scholarship Fund @RWHS, 1001 W. Main Street, Visalia, CA 93291. ATTN: Angelica Jaurequi or Jaurequi@RWHS

Tributes and condolences may be made at www.millerchapel.com.

Arrangements entrusted to Miller Memorial Chapel, 1120 W. Goshen Ave., Visalia, CA 93291 (559) 732-8371.