Obituaries

Elizabeth Tate Motley August 14, 1908 - September 30, 2009Louise Elizabeth Tate was born on August 14, 1908 in Danville, Virginia, the only daughter of James Richard and Annie Owen Farley Tate. She had two older and two younger brothers.After her graduation from Danville High School in 1925, Elizabeth, as she preferred to be called, attended Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where she graduated in 1929 with a Bachelor of Music degree. Thereafter she attended New York University for a short time before taking jobs as an elementary school music teacher in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Schoolfield, Virginia.On February 8, 1936, Elizabeth married high school classmate Harold C. Motley in the family parlor in Danville. They honeymooned in California and, later that year, settled in Santa Paula, where Elizabeth had obtained a job with the Soil Conservation Service. With the birth of her first son, Richard, in 1938, Elizabeth became a full-time homemaker and mother, while Harold settled into a real estate business.In 1945, Elizabeth gave birth to another son, John. When he went off to college in 1963 she resumed her teaching career, taking a position at Glen City School, where she taught until her retirement in 1970.Elizabeth had a circle of friends which she referred to as “the girls,” and with whom she would enjoy regularly scheduled luncheons. She was a member of the Ebell Club and the First Presbyterian Church. She was an excellent bridge player.Elizabeth was preceded in death by her husband, her son Richard, and her brothers. She is survived by her son John and his wife Ruth of Salem, Oregon; her daughter-in-law Brigitte of Ventura; and five grandchildren: James, of Ventura, Peter, and his wife Elizabeth of Portland, Oregon, John of Portland, Oregon, Amy of Long Beach, and Erin of Seattle, Washington.Elizabeth will be remembered as a caring friend and a loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She lived in Santa Paula until December of 2002, in Ventura for several years and, at the time of her death, was living in Salem, Oregon.A private interment will be held at the Santa Paula Cemetery. Donations in Elizabeth’s memory may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Paula.Andrea Preciado MendezFebruary 10, 1915–October 1, 2009Our precious mom, sister, grandma, great-grandma, tia, and friend, Andrea, passed away peacefully at home with her devoted family by her side.Andrea was born in Santa Paula to Esther Huerta Preciado and Leon F. Preciado. She went to heaven to join her siblings Mary, Joe, Rosa, Leon, and Estella; her first-born son Ezequiel “Zeke” Sanchez and daughter Maria Cristina Sanchez; and former husbands Jesus A. Sanchez and Joe M. Lara.Andrea is survived by her children, Merce Sanchez Villa (Oscar), Charlie Sanchez (Alison), and Andrea Lara Morales (Michael); grandchildren Ben Villa (Teresa), Chrissy Martinez-Atilano, Michael Padilla (Tiffany), Stefanie Maione (Peter), Marc Morales, Alaina Sanchez, Carla Sanchez, and Lauryn Morales; great-grandchildren Sara Martinez, Joey Villa, Sabrina Martinez, Ashley Villa, Sam Atilano, and baby Emily Maione; siblings Esther Montoya, Ruben Preciado (Rosalie), Cecilio Preciado (Verna), Angela Dominguez, and Viola Martinez; foster son Lalo Lara (Maria Elena); and many special nieces, nephews, and friends.Andrea owned Andrea’s Café in Santa Paula for 47 years, and was privileged to feed generations of families. She never hesitated in helping anyone who showed up at her door. Andrea was honored to receive the Business of the Year Award from the Latino Town Hall in recognition of her restaurant. As a young girl, she worked hard for the Hardison and Converse families, along with other Santa Paula pioneer families.Our family thanks God for blessings of this past year. Nana was able to enjoy frequent trips to Las Vegas and the traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations with her family. God gave the opportunity in the past two weeks for many people to come and visit Andrea.We wish to thank Dr. Snow and her colleagues at Hospice of the West; Phyllis Cohen, Donna Simmons, Donna Slifer, and Sara Martinez from Vitas Hospice for their compassionate care. A special thank you to Dr. MacFarlane at VCMC for her compassion and dedication to Nana in the ER and in ICU.Visitation will be held at Skillin-Carroll Mortuary on Santa Paula and 8th Street on Thursday, October 8 from 4 to 8 p.m. Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Oak Street in Santa Paula on Friday, October 9 at 9 a.m., with burial to follow at Pierce Brothers Santa Paula Cemetery.I’m FreeDon’t grieve for me, for now I’m free,I’m following the path God laid for me.I took His hand when I heard him call;I turned my back and left it all. I could not stay another dayTo laugh, to love, to work or play.Tasks left undone must stay that way.I found that place at the close of day. If my parting has left a void,