Cecile Irene Farrand, of Temple City, CA, passed away on Wednesday, September 23, 2020. She was born in Greeley, Colorado on October, 2, 1922 to Esther Irene and Roy Gardner. The family moved to Southern California when she was 18 months old. Maneuvering the family Ford over dirt roads through the Colorado Rocky Mountains and the deserts of Utah arriving in the coastal town of Santa Barbara, California and later, in the suburbs of Los Angeles.
After high school, she studied art at Frank Wiggins Trade School, where she further developed her creative skills. Then, she and her husband built a home in Temple City where she lived most of her life and raised her three beautiful daughters. Cecile was a gifted artist and clothing/costume designer. She carved gorgeous cameos and made hand-drawn paper dolls and their clothes for her girls. Storytelling was in her blood - she could paint a picture with her words and spin a story for hours. She was also an avid rock-hunter in her earlier years - spending weekends in Death Valley and other areas of California searching for the right specimens. She enjoyed canning, tending to her vegetable garden and exploring nature while traveling in the camper.
Family was important and years of holidays were celebrated with generations of family at her home. Everyone was welcome and included; it was happy chaos. The children bobbed for apples, climbed fruit trees and watched fireworks. Many grandchildren may also remember various trips in the camper van to reservoirs, beaches and Vasquez Rocks, which may have included an outdoor camp-style breakfast.
Cecile loved hummingbirds and butterflies; and had an affinity for skunk figurines. Nor would she ever turn down a dice game of blow-it or a quick visit to a casino to play penny slots. Cecile was a woman of high intelligence and many talents. She possessed a quick wit, a sly sense of humor and a feisty spirit. Many of these traits have been passed down to generations below her.
Cecile has been reunited with her parents, Esther and Roy; grandson, John Timothy Forrest; and brothers, Wesley Gardner, John Gardner and Bob Gardner as well as husband, Raymond Farrand.
She leaves to cherish in her memory, daughters, Madelyn Irene Merle and partner Cheryl Bullard, Phyllis Ann Thurber-Moffitt and husband John, Kathy Susan Forster and husband Kent; grandchildren, Jeanne Tierno and husband Tony, Clark Merle, Kyle Thurber, Celeste Velasco, Adam Hauck, Erin Zimmerlee and husband Boone, Erin Moffitt and partner James Dunn, Michele Manculich-Forrest; great grandchildren, Cassidy MacRae and partner Matt, Heather Merle, Nick Merle, Matthew Merle, Victoria Velasco, Madelyn “Maddy” Merle, Isabella Merle, John Forrest Jr. and wife Samantha, Ally Tassallo, Caylen Hunt, Gabriel Hauck, Adria Hauck, Bronwyn Zimmerlee, Story Zimmerlee; great great grandchildren, Valentina Thurber, Mateo Thurber, Lucas Thurber, Charles Forrest, Sean Forrest, Logan Forrest, Raymond Aguilera, Elizabeth Merle, Daniel Merle, Sterling MacRae, Griffin MacRae, Aurora Tassallo, Amnisty Tassallo; and extended family, Olivia Merle, Kara Cooley and husband Carter and their children: Rios, Holly, and Fisher.
May there be many more blow-it games passed on and played in your memory.
A visitation will be held on Sunday, October 11th, 2020 from 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM at Woodstock Funeral Home, followed by a funeral service at 2:00 PM.
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