Antonia Marie Ketchum died Monday, July 28, at Saint Louise
Regional Hospital at the age of 94.
Antonia Marie Ketchum
Antonia Marie Ketchum died Monday, July 28, at Saint Louise Regional Hospital at the age of 94.
She was born in San Juan Bautista and lived most of her life in Gilroy. She is the granddaughter of Ascension Solorsano, the last descendent of the San Juan Mission Indians.
In her early life, she worked as a farm worker. For a time, she attended Holy Cross Convent in Santa Cruz. She spent most of her mid and later years raising children and being a housewife.
Ketchum was a Tribal Elder of the Amah/Mutson Tribal Band of the Ohlone/Costanoan Mission Indians of California.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin Ketchum Sr.; siblings Santos Corona of Carmel Valley, Tony Corona of Hollister, Carrie Higueria of Pacific Grove and Margaret Serna of Hanford, Calif.
Ketchum is survived by brother Vincent Corona of San Jose; sons Donald Ketchum of Marysville, Calif., and Harold Ketchum and Melvin Ketchum, both of Gilroy; daughters Gloria Sordello of Reno and Martha Ketchum of Dublin, Calif.; 22 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Services will be held on Saturday, Aug. 6, at 10 a.m. at the San Juan Bautista Mission. There will be a gathering after the services in the community center at the mission.
