Search for celebrities on Ancestry.com!JEFFERY
Vernon Hough Jeffery
Vernon Hough Jeffery died in Fairfield, California on September 6, 2005, at age 82, after suffering a brief illness. Mr. Jeffery was born in Vacaville, California on September 25, 1922. He worked at Binex Business Systems, Jeffery Milling, which he co-owned with his father, and American Modoc, which he co-owned with George Cances. Mr. Jeffery was a founding member of Valley Evangelical Free Church in Vacaville, was a School Board Member of the Vacaville Christian Academy, was on the Board of Directors for the Mt. Gilead Bible Conference, and was a finical administrator at the Valley Church. He also worked with his sons at Jeffrey Soil Stabilization.
At the age of 25, Mr. Jeffrey was the mayor of Winters and was involved in Sea Scouts. In 1959, he was named Winters’ Citizen of the Year. Mr. Jeffrey loved boating, fishing and traveling. He also liked playing tennis and pool. For 25 years, Mr. Jeffrey had a passion for the building, growth and expansion of the Valley Church, and he loved being surrounded by his family and friends.
Mr. Jeffrey is survived by his wife of 10 years, Susan Jeffrey, his sons, Ashley Jeffery, of Vacaville, and Philip Jeffrey, of Coos Bay, Oregon, his stepsons, David Hightower, of Winters, and Mark Bradstreet, of Fairfield, Pennsylvania, his step-daughter Dawn McCary, of Warrenville, South Carolina, his 19 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
A private memorial service and burial will be held at the Valley Church in Vacaville, and will be officiated by Dr. Raleigh Galgan. Contributions may be sent to the Valley Church Building Fund at www.valleychurch.com and/or the Mt. Gilead Bible Conference 13485 Green Valley Road, Sebastopol, CA, 95472.
JENKS
Burdette Jenks
Burdette Jenks, husband to the late Ella Margaret Farnham Jenks, died peacefully in his Woodland home on May 6, 2003, after a battle with cancer. He was 81.
Born in Woodland on Feb. 23, 1922 to the late Totabelle and Alvin, Mr. Jenks spent the whole of his life in Yolo County. He was a devoted husband, loving father and steadfast friend whose zest for life, solid values and enviable common sense offered quiet support and greatly enriched the lives of all who knew him.
Mr. Jenks grew up in Yolo with sisters Marguerite and Violet and brother Robin. He graduated from Woodland High School in 1940 and proudly served his country in the Merchant Marine during World War II, where his travels took him around the globe providing much needed troops and supplies to the war effort.
He and Woodland native Ella Farnham marriage in 1945 and made their first home in Yolo, where they lived for more than 20 years, started a family of five children and dedicated themselves to all aspects of the Yolo and Woodland communities. They moved to Woodland in 1967.
Mr. Jenks began his career as a troubleshooter for Pacific Gas & Electric in 1946 and for 37 years made sure the lights were on in Yolo County homes, no matter what the weather. He retired from the company in 1983.
In his precious spare time, Mr. Jenks enjoyed fishing and exploring Northern California's waterways, coastlines and countryside. He was a volunteer firefighter for the Yolo Volunteer Fire Department and a Fire Commissioner for Woodland's Springlake Fire District. In 1998, Mr. Jenks and wife Ella were honored by the Order of Eastern Star for more than 50 years of membership and their contributions to the Order by serving as "Matron" and "Patron." Mr. Jenks was also a Past Master of the Masonic Lodge in Yolo and an active member of the Masonic Lodge in Woodland.
In his life, his work and his heart, Mr. Jenks served the people of Yolo County. In his final months, he continued this effort by publicizing the great care and support he received from Yolo Hospice, and encouraging those in need to call on the organization to help ease their transition from this life to the next. Mr. Jenks has himself now made that leap, supremely confident that he would spend eternity with his loving wife.
Mr. Jenks is survived by his five children: Brian Jenks and wife Karla of Reno, Nev., Linda Jenks of Kailua, Hawaii, Sally DeRock and husband Chuck of Auburn, Meribeth Parker and husband Vince of Woodland, and Eric Jenks and wife Wendy of Browns Valley; grandchildren Stacey Hershauer, Daniel Jenks, Claire and Emily DeRock, and Bailey and Parker Jenks; and great grandchildren Andrew, Paige and Leah Hershauer. He is also survived by brother Robin Jenks of Auburn.
A memorial service for Mr. Jenks will be held at Mary's Chapel in Yolo on Wednesday, May 14, 2003 at 1 p.m. A reception will follow at Mr. Jenks' Woodland home. Memorial contributions should be made to Yolo Hospice.
McNary's Chapel of Woodland is assisting the family with arrangements.
JENKS
Ella Margaret (Farnham) Jenks
Ella Margaret (Farnham) Jenks died in her Woodland home on Friday, Sept. 6, 2002, at age 78.
Born in Woodland on April 11, 1924 to the late Lloyd and Ruth (Miles) Farnham, Mrs. Jenks spent her life fostering those things that meant the most to her - strong family ties, dedication to friends, dedication to her country, and support of the Yolo and Woodland communities that, since the mid-1800s, had been home to generations of the Farnham family.
Mrs. Jenks spent most of her childhood on the 80-acre Farnham ranch estate on County Road 102, a homestead built in the late 1800s for her grandfather and grandmother, Civil War veteran Erastus Sylvester and wife Nellie (Myers) Farnham, by Mrs. Jenks' maternal great grandfather. In 1986, Mrs. Jenks and her family donated the blacksmith shop and its contents from the Farnham ranch to the Gibson House Museum in Woodland. Those items, dedicated in 2000, are on display today. The main eight-room farmhouse and barn remain on seven acres of land. The balance of the Farnham ranch is now part of the Sycamore Ranch housing development.
Mrs. Jenks graduated from Woodland High School in 1942 and received a bachelor's degree in English from UC Berkeley, after which she worked for several years as a librarian at the Sacramento State College Library. She marriage Yolo native Burdette Jenks in 1945 and spent the next 23 years as an active resident of Yolo, and as a wife, homemaker and mother. Her family members say she "was a loving mother not only to her five children, but to an extended family of those in need, who she strived to support with a place to stay or simply a shoulder to lean on."
Mrs. Jenks moved with her family to Woodland in 1968, living on Gibson Road and County Road 101, just a few miles from her childhood home. After returning to live at the Farnham estate from the early 1980s to early 1990s, Mrs. Jenks and husband Burdette moved to a home near East Street, where Mrs. Jenks spent the remainder of her years enjoying an ever-growing family, visits with friends, and long drives along California's back roads and coastline.
Mrs. Jenks was recently honored for her more than 50 years of membership and leadership in the Order of Eastern Star. Just some of Mrs. Jenks' many other civic and community contributions included service in Alpha Beta Sigma Phi, Daughters of the American Revolution, the Priscilla Club, the Thursday Club and her Bridge Club. She was also an active member in the Woodland Methodist Church. She was a dedicated volunteer at voter registration booths and played the piano for Eastern Star, Jobs Daughters and the Rainbow Girls for many years. "Her joy for life, boundless enthusiasm, and willingness to serve each of these organizations in earnest will long be remembered, " said family members.
Mrs. Jenks is survived by husband Burdette Jenks; children Brian Jenks and wife Karla of Reno, Nev., Linda Jenks of Kailua, Hawaii, Sally DeRock and husband Chuck of Auburn, Meribeth Parker and husband Vince of Woodland, and Eric Jenks and wife Wendy of Brown's Valley; grandchildren Stacey Hershauer, Daniel Jenks, Claire and Emily DeRock, and Bailey and Parker Jenks; and great grandchildren Andrew, Paige and Leah Hershauer.
She is also survived by a brother, Benjamin Farnham and wife Elvia of Sausalito, and nephew Alan Farnham and wife Gina of New York.
Friends of Mrs. Jenks are invited to attend a memorial service at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Mary's Chapel in Yolo.
Memorial contributions should be made to the Mary's Chapel Support Group.
McNary's Chapel of Woodland is assisting the family with arrangements.
JEN
Jenny (Wei-Ming) Jen
Jenny (Wei-Ming) Jen died in her Salinas home Saturday July 24, 2004, at age 82.
Born Sept. 22, 1923, in Fung-du, Szechwan, China, she moved to Taiwan in 1949 and immigrated to the U.S. in 1961. She had been a Woodland resident for about 29 years, having been employed at Woodland Memorial Hospital for many years. She relocated to Salinas in 1990, to be closer to her children. She was a member of Chinese American Citizen Alliance, and Salinas Christian Church.
Survivors include her children, George Jen; May Montgomery and husband Curt; Joan Hu and husband Chris; Jeanette Yates and husband Jim; and, eight grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, John Jen.
Memorials may be directed to Heartland Hospice.
Services: Visitation is scheduled from 1 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 30; and, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 31, at Struve and Laporte Chapel in Salinas. A funeral service is scheduled at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, July 31, at Struve and Laporte Chapel.
JEWETT
Alyce Williams Lowrey Jewett
Alyce Williams Lowrey Jewett, a prominent California agricultural leader and well-known UC Davis teacher, died March 8, 2005, at Fall River Mills. She was 96 years old.
A memorial service begins at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 10, at the Methodist Church in Fall River Mills. An informal gathering in Davis will begin at 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, at International House, 10 College Park.
A 1931 UC Davis animal husbandry Phi Beta Kappa graduate, she was asked by John Kenneth Galbraith to follow him in teaching agricultural economics at UC Davis. She was a well-known mentor to many UC Davis agriculture students.
She and her late husband, Lindsay "Red" Jewett, were student and alumni leaders and were honored many times by their alma mater. Her husband taught agriculture at Winters High School for many years. Together, they were awarded the UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Award of Distinction in 1990.
She was a colleague of one of the founders of UC Davis, Judge Peter Shields, and was a charter member of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association, serving on its board in 1959.
Hosting the April 12 services are Dan and Diana Dooley of Visalia, Marc and Gerda Faye of Knights Landing, Don and Lou McNary of Woodland, Richard and Evelyne Rominger of Winters, and Dick and Judy Wydick of Davis.
AVILLA
Gene Lorraine Avilla
Gene Lorraine Avilla died Monday, Feb. 9, 2004, at age 91.
Born Aug. 6, 1912, in Visalia, Mrs. Avilla had been a Yolo County resident for 63 years. She attended schools in Porterville, graduate of UC Berkeley. She worked as social worker for Yolo County placing children in foster care.
Survivors include her husband, Anthony B. Avilla; daughters, Barbara Hurley and husband Patrick, and Cathy Quiggle and former husband Stephen; grandsons, Christian Hurley, James Hurley and wife Karen, Paul Quiggle and wife Aimee and Judson Quiggle; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Mona Etter and sister, Gerry Bissell.
The family requests memorials be directed to Yolo Hospice, P.O. Box 1014, Davis, 95617. Arrangements are under the direction of McNary's Chapel of Woodland.
Services: A vigil is scheduled at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at McNary's Chapel, 458 College St., Woodland. A graveside service is scheduled at noon Thursday, Feb. 12, at St. Joseph's Mausoleum.
AZEVEDO
Clarence Azevedo
Clarence Azevedo, former Sacramento mayor, died Feb. 14, 2001, what would have been his 73rd wedding anniversary with his late wife Alice. He was 91.
Born in Mountain View, Azevedo devoted his life to public service. He served on the Sacramento City Council and eventually became mayor. He was California's campaign chairman for Gov. Edmund "Pat" Brown and for President John F. Kennedy.
Throughout his life, Azevedo served as president of the California State Fair, the Cal Expo Building Committee, the Camellia Festival, the Cancer Society, the Red Cross, Goodwill and Easter Seals. He was also on the board of directors for St. Patrick's Home for Children. He and his wife Alice owned and operated California Apparel for 51 years.
Azevedo dearly loved his family, enjoyed countess friends, and had a passion for baseball, flowers, horse racing and politics. He will be remembered for the rose he always wore in his lapel, his generosity, his relentless work ethic, his sense of humor, and his dedication to Sacramento.
He was preceded in death by his wife Alice and his sister, Rose Akers.
He is survived by his daughter, Phyllis Earl and her husband Wesley of Sacramento; his granddaughters, Sue Collins and her husband Jim of Davis and Sally Thomas and her husband Bob of Elk Grove; eight great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Dorothy Williams and Millie Bodiou and her husband Ted; and many nieces and nephews.
A Rosary will be held at 4 p.m. Monday at Gormley & Sons Chapel in Sacramento. A funeral Mass will be said Tuesday at 10 a.m. at St. Anthony's Parish in Sacramento. Remembrances in his honor may be made to St. Patrick's Home for Children, 5945 Franklin Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95824.
