Jesus welcomed our mother home to heaven on October 20, 2022, at the age of 88. She was born on December 13, 1933, and adopted at 3 weeks old by our grandparents, Dr. Cassius Everett and Pauline Paul, in Santa Ana, California. Mom grew up and graduated from Santa Ana High Schools and then attended Stephen’s Girl’s College in Columbia, Missouri for one year. She then transferred closer to home and called USC her true alma mater (Go Trojans) for the 1 quarter she was there.
Mom met dad, fell head over heels in love with him, and married him on June 13, 1954, as he was finishing flight school and being commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy down in Pensacola, Florida. As a Navy wife, mom travelled and supported our dad wherever they were stationed (Pensacola, Hutchinson, San Diego, San José, Lemoore, and Whidbey Island). During those years, mom worked at the Navy Exchange, at Sprouse Reitz, and at the John VanderZicht Memorial Pool as an instructor and supervisor. She loved teaching children how to swim (she even was a lifeguard/teacher at the pool out at Sierra on West Beach for quite a few summers). Mom was also a dedicated Girl Scout leader with her best friend, Emma Ferrier, for many years.
Mom had us 4 kids: 1955 – Kathy (Glenn Mouw), 1956 – Carol (Mark Ilyankoff), 1959 – Paula (Larry Bailly & now Patrick Shelley), and 1961 – David (Loreene Morrison) followed by 12 grandchildren: Timothy Mouw, Christopher Mouw, Matthew Mouw, Bryan Ilyankoff, Kristi Ilyankoff (Batterman), Kyra Ilyankoff (Almada), Paul Kleffel, Rachel Bailly, Elisabeth Bailly, Evan Bailly, Craig Kleffel, and Carl Kleffel. She also left behind 19 great grandchildren: Kaizen Mouw, Jaxon Mouw, Madeline Mouw, Harlan Mouw, Cassius Mouw, Wilhelmina Mouw, Eloise Mouw, Maya Mouw, Olivia Mouw, Kaleb Batterman, Konnor Batterman, Felix Bailly, Vada Bailly, Henley Kleffel, Aiden Kleffel, Jameson Kleffel, Nicolas Kleffel, Lucas Kleffel, and Tomas Kleffel.
Our mother was preceded in death by our father, Walt Kleffel (2019), our sister, Carol, (2020) and mom’s 2nd husband of 20 years, Gordon Connelly (2001). We will miss our mom. We want to thank the staff at Summer Hill for her care these past 3 1⁄2 years. There will be a private ceremony at Christmastime with the family.
