We lost a very special lady ~ someone we called Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, sister, aunt and Deena ~ she went to sleep, to never wake up again.
Mom had such a contagious smile, she could light up any room.
She never met a stranger, one of the sweetest woman you could ever meet.
Mom was a hugger, if you weren’t a hugger when you met her, you would be when you left, everyone got a hug.
We were lucky enough to move to Tuolumne County in 1963 where Mom raised 5 children all on her own. Mom was a strong and very determined woman.
Mom waitressed at Long Barn Lodge, Flo’s, Diamond Jim’s, Kelly’s Kitchen and Joe’s, working at two of the restaurants at the same time, she always worked so hard.
She later became a long haul truck driver, a log truck driver and retired in Social Services of Amador County.
Mom’s favorite job was log truck driving, one of the first woman truck drivers in Tuolumne County. If she could be driving truck today, she would. Co-workers would say “if there was one log left in the woods, Deena would go get it”. Anytime we would see a log truck, she made sure to wave, probably one of the saddest days of her life was having to retire from logging, a love of her life.
Mom is preceded in death by Larry, her husband, who we all called Pops, a son Matt and a daughter Lori. Mom is survived by four children ~ Debbie (Rod), Denise, Carrie (Paul) and David. Mom has 8 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren whom she loved so much, they were the light of her eyes, so proud.
We miss her so much and feel such a sense of loss, an emptiness. We will miss her hugs, her smile, her enthusiasm, her gentle sole, she was our best friend.
There will be a celebration of life in the spring.
I lieu of flowers or gifts, remember life is short, make it sweet ~ give a hug, smile at a stranger, wave to a truck driver, spend time with loved ones, you never know what you have till it’s gone ~ raise a glass to Mom, she would love that, cheers to all.
