Lucille Pilibos

Lucille Pilibos was born in Turlock, California, October 28, 1921, to James (Hagop) Kullijian and Theresa (Arakelian) Kullijian. The second of two children, Lucille was a baby when her family moved to 325 Granada Avenue in San Francisco soon after Lucille’s arrival. Lucille and her brother Harry loved growing up on the foggy west side of The City, where “it was sand dunes from 19th Avenue all the way to the ocean.”

Lucille had happy childhood memories of family trips to Sutro Baths, a huge complex of seawater swimming pools at Ocean Beach. She loved visits to Playland at the Beach, and had a lifelong enjoyment of carnivals and wax museums.

While at Aptos Jr. High, Lucille and her brother Harry befriended Carol Channing, whom Harry dated then and later married when both were in their late 80’s. Lucille and Carol were delighted to be reunited in their later years, and they remained close until Carol passed away in 2019.

Lucille graduated from Balboa High School in 1940. In between college classes and family road trips to visit relatives, Lucille earned her real estate broker’s license in her early 20’s. She enjoyed showing houses, and proudly kept her broker’s license current until well into her 90’s.

When World War II broke out, Lucille volunteered as a Red Cross nurse’s aide, logging in over 2,000 hours of nursing service. Her favorite task was caring for the babies of servicemen whose “war brides” were getting medical exams on a naval ship out on the Bay. Her brother Harry served in the Army during the War.

Lucille met farmer and real estate developer Y. Stephen Pilibos at her cousin Adeline Arakelian’s wedding in Turlock. Lucille overlooked the 10-year age difference, recalling her mother’s advice (courtesy of Alma Spreckels): “I’d rather be an old man’s darling than a young man’s slave.” After a 6-month courtship, they married in San Francisco in 1949, at the “Top of the Mark” of the Mark Hopkins Hotel. During their 64-year marriage, Steve and Lucille had 5 children: Sarah, Mary, Alex, Barbara, and Catherine.

Lucille maintained close relationships with her first cousins and their children in Turlock, Philadelphia, and southern California. For many years, Lucille and Steve cooked for big family Thanksgiving and Easter holidays at their home in Fresno. Vacations with the Turlock cousins included trips to Santa Cruz and Disneyland, while the east coast cousins came to visit Fresno or met up in Atlantic City. The consensus is that the pinnacle of all events was when Aunt Lu and Uncle Steve took their kids with the Turlock cousins to see The Beatles in San Francisco.

Some of Lucille’s most exciting adventures stemmed from when Steve built the Fresno Hilton Hotel in 1970. She loved traveling and attending events associated with the hotel. Occasionally, she was called upon to host visiting dignitaries or political fundraisers at their home, including the prime minister of Tunisia and soon-to-be Governor George Deukmejian. As both Lucille and Steve enjoyed good health for most of their lives, they were able to travel together to the East Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Europe, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Jordan.

Despite this jet-set lifestyle, Lucille was a hands-on housekeeper and loved tending to her roses and gardens. She dressed impeccably even if she stayed home and cleaned the house. Lucille wore skirts, stockings, heels and lipstick as a matter of daily routine. She was an excellent cook and even better baker. All guests were presumed to be hungry, and upon leaving, had to take home some fruit, nuts or homemade jam.

Nothing gave her greater pleasure than to entertain company, especially if the company included a chubby baby that she could hold in her lap (See’s candy was a close second). She loved children, whether they were her own, her relatives, friends’ children, or complete strangers.

Her lively personality and incredible memory provided her friends and relatives with entertaining anecdotes and stories spanning decades. Lucille was a prolific writer of letters and thank-you notes, occasionally writing a thank-you note for a thank-you note. Lucille was happiest in her kitchen, baking or making countless jars of boysenberry or apricot jam to give away. In their later years, Lucille recruited Steve to cut up the fruit for jam and make lahvosh together on weekends.

In 2014, Steve passed away after a short illness at age 102, when Lucille was 92. Lucille’s faith in God was strong her entire life, and this supported her during her remaining years as a widow. She celebrated her 100th birthday in 2021 with a large outdoor party at her home.

Lucille became bedbound after a bad fall in 2022 but kept her bright personality and enthusiasm for life. She enjoyed visits from family and friends and participated happily in holidays and birthday celebrations. Thanks to her attentive and caring doctors, nurses, and caregivers, Lucille was able to live comfortably at home for her last years. Lucille passed away gently at her home on April 4, 2026, at the age of 104 years and 5 months, on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter.

Lucille is survived by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren:

Sarah Pilibos and husband Ralph B. Curtis, Jr., his sons Peter Curtis and sons Mason and Soren, and Matthew Curtis, wife Anya, and daughters Jennifer and Christina;

Mary Pilibos White and husband Kevin White, children Katherine White, Stephen White and wife Leanne and sons Jackson, Parker and Charlie, Alexandra White, and Chasen White;

Alexander S. Pilibos;

Barbara Pilibos Meinert and sons James Meinert and wife Alison and sons Greysun and Quill; son Alexander Meinert and wife Hannah.

Catherine Pilibos West and husband Allan D. West.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home, 836 E. Nees Ave., Fresno, CA 93720, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Memorial Services will take place on Friday, April 17, 2026 at Pilgrim Armenian Congregational Church, 3673 N First St, Fresno, CA 93726 at 11:00 am.