A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 16, 2013, at 4:00 P.M. at Johnson Funeral Home, 17720 Monterey St., Morgan Hill, CA 95037. Interment will be private.
My mother Colette was a native of New Hampshire, with parents of French Canadian decent from Quebec. She moved to California with her husband Stanley in 1961 and settled in Santa Clara County where she has remained until her passing. As a family we lived in Cupertino. We also lived in Santa Clara, West San Jose, Saratoga and back to Cupertino when my mom was single parent after my fathers passing. She was an early pioneer in the disk drive magnetic industry, working at one of the first companies in 1968 called Caelus Memories in San Jose established in Silicon Valley to manufacture computer mainframe disk drives. She stayed in that industry as an executive assistant to founders and executives in many subsequent firms, including EM&M, ISS, Sperry Rand Univac and others. She later went on to work in property management with those she had worked with in the industry. She stayed in that field until she retired. In her retirement years she went back home to Manchester, New Hampshire and lived with her sister Muriel and family for a period of time, then returning back to California for her final years. She acquired many close friends over the years and was a great companion in Bingo and card games to those who knew her in the South County area. Her final home for the last part of her life was at Wheeler Manor in Gilroy. She enjoyed living there and the companionship she shared with her fellow friends.
Colette was preceded in death by her parents “Pete” and “Alice”, her sister Muriel and her former husband Stanley. She has lost many friends and relatives also in the past years, making our “family” very small. She is survived by her only child Steve Chappell of Morgan Hill, grandson Ryan Chappell and granddaughter Jessica Chappell of Nevada. She is also survived by her brother Paul and brother Richard. She leaves behind the many close friends who loved her so, and will miss her dearly.
