Helen Vierra, a long time resident of the Central Valley, passed away on Tuesday, February 15 after a long illness.
A native of Providence, Rhode Island, Helen was one of 12 children. She met her future husband, Domingo David Vierra at a local textile factory, where they both worked. David was a floor supervisor and Helen, along with the other women workers, noticed him when he distributed the payroll. They were married in 1940.
The couple and their three sons left Providence, Rhode Island in 1957 and relocated to Manteca, California where David's Aunt Olivia Bertao lived and stayed with her family until David found work as a carpenter. In 1975 he passed away as a result of an auto accident. Helen remained in Manteca until 2003.
She was a housewife for most of her life but prior to coming to California she worked the swing shift at Imperial Knife in Providence, Rhode Island. She also worked many years as a pastry chef in Escalon at her son Richard's restaurant, "The Bakery." She was an active member of Saint Anthony's Catholic Church were she served with the Legion of Mary and the Young Ladies Institute. She was an active, involved parent and friend of the Hanot Foundation Homes for the Developmentally Disabled carrying on her husband's efforts to provide a caring living environment for disabled adults like her son Joseph.
She was fortunate to remain with her beloved caregiver, Emelyn Macasarte after her move from Manteca and settled in with Emelyn and her family in Stockton where she was lovingly cared for until her death.
She is survived by her four sons, David and his wife Lynn of Kelseyville California, Richard and his wife Terry of Chiloquin, Oregon, Joseph of Stockton and Paul and his partner Mark of Gualala, California; her four grandchildren, David and his wife Cesli of Santa Barbara, Debra and her husband Larry of Cobb, California, Danny of Vidalia, Georgia, and Anna and her husband Brandon of Chiloquin Oregon; and her seven great-grandchildren, Michael, Trevor, Jessica, Jaclyn, Tyler, Ethan and Sydney.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Manteca, California, Ministry of Caring c/o Sister Ann and Hanot Foundation Home for the Developmentally Disabled, Lodi, California.
Visitation and Rosary were on Feb. 21 at Deegan Funeral Chapel in Escalon. Mass was on Friday, Feb. 22 at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Manteca and burial followed at St. John's Catholic Cemetery in Escalon.
The Escalon (Calif.) Times
Feb. 27, 2008
A native of Providence, Rhode Island, Helen was one of 12 children. She met her future husband, Domingo David Vierra at a local textile factory, where they both worked. David was a floor supervisor and Helen, along with the other women workers, noticed him when he distributed the payroll. They were married in 1940.
The couple and their three sons left Providence, Rhode Island in 1957 and relocated to Manteca, California where David's Aunt Olivia Bertao lived and stayed with her family until David found work as a carpenter. In 1975 he passed away as a result of an auto accident. Helen remained in Manteca until 2003.
She was a housewife for most of her life but prior to coming to California she worked the swing shift at Imperial Knife in Providence, Rhode Island. She also worked many years as a pastry chef in Escalon at her son Richard's restaurant, "The Bakery." She was an active member of Saint Anthony's Catholic Church were she served with the Legion of Mary and the Young Ladies Institute. She was an active, involved parent and friend of the Hanot Foundation Homes for the Developmentally Disabled carrying on her husband's efforts to provide a caring living environment for disabled adults like her son Joseph.
She was fortunate to remain with her beloved caregiver, Emelyn Macasarte after her move from Manteca and settled in with Emelyn and her family in Stockton where she was lovingly cared for until her death.
She is survived by her four sons, David and his wife Lynn of Kelseyville California, Richard and his wife Terry of Chiloquin, Oregon, Joseph of Stockton and Paul and his partner Mark of Gualala, California; her four grandchildren, David and his wife Cesli of Santa Barbara, Debra and her husband Larry of Cobb, California, Danny of Vidalia, Georgia, and Anna and her husband Brandon of Chiloquin Oregon; and her seven great-grandchildren, Michael, Trevor, Jessica, Jaclyn, Tyler, Ethan and Sydney.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Manteca, California, Ministry of Caring c/o Sister Ann and Hanot Foundation Home for the Developmentally Disabled, Lodi, California.
Visitation and Rosary were on Feb. 21 at Deegan Funeral Chapel in Escalon. Mass was on Friday, Feb. 22 at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Manteca and burial followed at St. John's Catholic Cemetery in Escalon.
The Escalon (Calif.) Times
Feb. 27, 2008
