Ramona P Kimmelshue

1926--2019

Mona was born in 1926 in Vallejo, California, the first daughter of Neva Sweikert and

Morton Blanco. She died at home in Gold River, in January, after celebrating her 93rd

birthday with her family.

Mona learned about loss as a very young child when her father died, leaving her, her

mother and her sister Jacqueline. Her mother remarried and moved the family to

Woodland where Mona grew up with her second father, O.D. Payne, and new baby

sister Betty. Mona attended local schools, graduating from Woodland High School in

1944. After finishing school, Mona worked in her parent's jewelry store, eventually

managing the business when her parents retired.

Mona met her future husband, Paul Kimmelshue, on a blind date at a church social.

Mona's sister Jackie Leonard and her future sister-in-law Ruby Kimmelshue thought

Mona and Paul should meet each other. The two conspirators separately invited each of

them to attend the dinner, but had them arrive half an hour late so that the only two

open seats were next to each other. Mona and Paul quickly became inseparable and

married in 1956.

A deeply caring person, Mona devoted herself to supporting Paul in his new banking

career, moving to a new town with each promotion. After four moves in less than five

years, Mona and Paul settled in Gridley, California, and remained there for ten years,

developing many life-long friendships. In the following years, they also lived in

Carmichael and Folsom.

Mona's greatest joy and source of pride, however, was her family. She loved her

children, and she loved taking care of them. She made sure we started the day with a

good breakfast, and that we sat down to dinner together every night. She would turn

every holiday into an event, cooking us all delicious food.

Grandma Duty, as she called spending time with her grandchildren, was a top

priority for Mona. She would make regular drives to Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park,

Palmdale, and Castle Rock, Colorado, just to see them. Mona and Paul also spent

many happy days travelling all around the country, including Hawaii, and one

international trip to Singapore and Bangkok. Not chosen randomly, each destination had

the purpose of spending time with people they knew who lived there.

Throughout her busy life, Mona still found time to volunteer with her kids' schools

and activities, Children's Home Society, and her church.

After sixty years of marriage, Mona became a widow when her husband Paul died in

2016. She is survived by her three children, Laura Somerville, Jane Nichols and her

husband Brian, and Eric Kimmelshue and his wife Robin. Mona also leaves five

grandchildren, Jessica Haggard, Christopher Nichols, Brett Somerville, Samantha

Nichols, Ryan Kimmelshue, two great-grandchildren, Aryana Haggard, and Rider

Haggard, and a third great-grandchild on the way. Mona is also survived by her sister

Betty Gondry and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at Mount Vernon Memorial Park in Fair Oaks,

Saturday, April 13 at 12 noon, followed by interment at 1:00 p.m. Any donation in

remembrance of Mona may be made to Children's Home Society of California, or to the

charity of your choice.