Lillian Bava

Lillian was born in Los Angeles on January 29, 1925, and moved to the Lodi area with her parents Angelo and Adele (Graffigna) Grattone when she was four years old. On the family farm, she helped her mother in their garden, collected eggs, and took care of the family cow. She attended Houston School and graduated from Lodi High school in 1942. She studied Bookkeeping at Humphreys Business College, worked briefly at J.S. Montgomery, and kept books for her father’s farm in Lodi.

In 1947, she married Julian (Lee) Bava of Stockton. Their first daughter, Julianne, was born in 1950. In 1952, Lillian and Lee moved to her father’s farm, the Grattone Ranch, on Eight Mile Road. Another daughter, Laura, was born in 1952 and their son, Gian-Carlo, was born in 1955. She was active in the Waterloo School PTA, became a Waterloo 4-H Leader and was a member of the Waterloo-Morada Fire District Women’s Auxiliary. Lillian was also a member of St Michaels Catholic Church in Stockton and the Lady’s Guild. She enjoyed discussing biblical interpretations with her friends in her Bible Study Class. She was also active in California Women for Agriculture, Liguri nel Mondo, and the Waterloo Gun & Bocce Club. Her love of history led her to become a docent at the San Joaquin County Historical Museum where she loved participating in Valley Days. She became the Business Manager of her father’s farm when he passed away in 1968.

A music lover and aspiring opera singer, she listened to The Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts every Saturday afternoon. In 1964, Lillian and Lee took their children to a Beatles concert on their first tour of the US. She instilled in her children a love for music that endures to this day.

Lillian is preceded in death by her husband Lee and her sister Balbina (Babs) McLaughlin. She is survived by her daughters Julianne (Don Stevens) of Portland, Oregon, and Laura Hunter (Clint) of Clovis, California, her son Gian-Carlo (Clio Bavalee) of Ben Lomond, California, granddaughters Elizabeth Stevens of San Diego, and Laura Orth (Byron) and great grandchildren Jordan and Cora, all of Albany, Oregon. She leaves step-granddaughters Bekki Carillo (Josh), Brandy Chang (Tim) both of Clovis, Ellie Hamner (Rick) of Santa Cruz, Calliope Gillis of Santa Jose, and Amethyst Gillis of Yaoundé, Cameroon. She also leaves behind step-great-grandchildren Rylee, Jaxon, RC, Madeline, August, and Mia.

A Rosary will be held on Monday, March 28th, at 5:30 pm, at DeYoung Memorial Chapel, 601 N California St, Stockton. A Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for Tuesday, March 29th, at 10 am, at St. Michaels Catholic Church, 5882 N Ashley Ln, Stockton, with a reception to follow. Condolences can be sent to https://www.dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/stockton-ca/de-young-memorial-chapel/9808