Bessie Lucuille Blackwell "Rose
Resident of Redwood City
8/30/1923 - 09/30/2009
Bessie died peacefully on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 in Menlo Park, California from natural causes. She was 86. Bessie was born on August 30, 1923 in Mississippi to Carl and Bertie Blackwell, as the 4th of their 10 children. Bessie married and had 9 children of her own. She moved to Eureka California in the 1950's along with her sisters and their families to work in the mills. After she remarried in 1960 and looking for better opportunities, Bessie moved her children to the Bay Area, first to Pacifica and Burlingame and then settled in Redwood City where she resided for nearly 40 years.
During the 60’s she began working for Crystal Springs Rehabilitation Center in San Mateo where she developed lifelong friendships and a wife for her son Joe. She retired from Crystal Springs after 30 years of service in 1986. In her retirement Rose participated as a member in the Fraternal Order of Eagles in San Mateo where she became Grand Madam President in 1994 and continued to participate for many years. She traveled to London, Hawaii, and many places around the United States.
Rose will be remembered and missed by many people as a vivacious, fun loving woman and mother. She loved laughter, music, entertaining, dancing and thought the perfect day was going to garage sales and spending time with friends and family. She loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
She is survived by children: Mackie Webster, Joan Leath, Joseph, Ray John and Tracy White, Brenda Ringdahl, Vicki Salinas and step son Raymond Peter Vasquez. Long time daughter in-law Sharon and Diana White, Son in-laws Manny Rodriguez and Lou Salinas. She left 22 grandchildren: Joseph Marks (Mackie), Monti Stauffacher, Dwain Cook and Jessica Redner (Joan), Jolene Romero, Jennifer White, Mark and Tony Sexalby (Joe), Tiffany Stone, Brandy Neill (Ray), Vanessa Rose, Chase White (John), Erin Paulson, Amanda and Robby White (Robert), Ashley and Trevor White (Tracy), Ryan Bontempi and Sampson Tapua (Brenda), Joseph and Christopher Salinas (Vicki), and 32 great-grandchildren. She was proceeded in death by her partner of 21 years Ray “Pancho” Vasquez, her son Robert Darrel White and by her oldest granddaughter Joni Collins (Stauffacher).
Friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Her Life on Wednesday October 7, 2009, at 1:00pm, at Crippen & Flynn Woodside Chapel, 400 Woodside Road, Redwood City, California.
Crippen & Flynn Woodside Chapel
650-369-4103
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