Anita J. Blackshear

Anita was born in Oklahoma City, OK on January 27th, 1938 to Lois Adell Guess Cardinal Stegall and Joseph John Cardinal. In 1944, Anita, her brother, Don, and their parents left poverty-stricken Purcell, OK to move to Santa Paula for a better life. On their journey west they slept in a tent pitched along the roadside. It was very much like “The Grapes of Wrath”. A year and a half after the family moved to CA, Joseph Cardinal was hit by a car and was killed.

Lois was a hard worker. She scrubbed floors at night and worked in the cafeteria during the day. Lois set an example for Anita about the importance of family, how to work hard, and how to entertain. Anita loved all things beautiful. She loved to make flower arrangements and decorate cakes. She created beautiful wedding cakes for all of her children. The family was incredibly close to their cousins, and aunts and uncles. The family and extended family always spent time together.

Anita met her beloved Boyce Bernard Blackshear at a Santa Paula High School football game in September of 1951. They began dating in January of 1952 before Anita’s birthday she was 13 years old at the time!!! Anita and Boyce were married on April 11, 1954 when she was just 16 years old. Anita and Boyce had three children, Bernie, Randy, and Kim. Anita and Boyce were married almost 64 years at the time of Boyce’s death on March 15, 2018.

Anita and Boyce are remembered for the years they ran Blackshear’s Market 1969-1978 and Santa Paula Plumbing 1979-2015 they loved the customers and being a part of the community.

Family has always been something that would define Anita! She loved being a mom, a grandma, and a great grandma. It was her most dedicated “job”. If you know Anita, you know of her incredible generosity. She looked forward to holidays, birthdays, or any excuse to get together. Two weeks every summer Anita and Boyce packed up the family and went camping at Turlock Lake. It was the best part of every summer! She and Boyce also attended every football game to watch their grandsons – Eric, Brian, Sean play, no matter how far.

For the past few years, a highlight for Anita was Thursday night family dinner at Randy and Maria’s house with all the Santa Paula family. Anita loved being with her grandkids, and great grandkids. She was known to pass out dollar bills – the kids loved it!

Anita is survived by her brother Donald J. Cardinal and her three children: Bernie and Cathy Blackshear, Randy and Maria Blackshear, and Kim Blackshear Bell married to Jeffrey Bell.

Anita is also survived by her grandchildren: Eric Blackshear - (Married to Lora Villa Blackshear), Brian Blackshear - (Married to Ellie Hengehold Blackshear), Sean Blackshear - (Married to Ashley McClain Blackshear), Nicholas Blackshear - (Married to Bethany Skutley Blackshear), Jessica Blackshear Rashid - (Married to Navid Rashid), Matthew Bell – (Married to Chloe Gonzales Bell), Kylene Michelle Bell-Murphy - (Married to Patrick Murphy), Katelyn Christine Bell

Her Great Grandchildren: Reece Blackshear, Cole Blackshear, Brock Blackshear, Parker Blackshear, Rush Blackshear, Jackson Blackshear, Vivienne Rashid, Haddon Murphy, Mary Beth Murphy, Isabella Bell

Her niece and nephews: Pamela Cardinal (son Taylor), Mike Cardinal (wife Barbara), Tim Cardinal (wife Denise), Jonathan Murad

Anita was preceded in death by her father Joseph Cardinal, Marvin “Bud” Stegall (who loved his family dearly and was the true patriarch), Mother Lois Adell Guess Cardinal Stegall, sister-in-law Barbara Blackshear Murad and brother-in-law Jamil Murad, sister-in-law Joan Olmstead Cardinal, and her beloved husband Boyce Bernard Blackshear.