Emma Ruth Arevalo

Emma Ruth Arevalo, 93, passed away peacefully at home in Sonoma on Dec. 3, 2013, surrounded by her loving family.

Emma was born on May 27, 1920, in Walsenburg, Colo., to Jose T. Gallegos/Maestas and Lucia Maestas. Emma grew up in Trinidad, Colo., in a large family.

She married John Arevalo in 1939, in Trinidad. They moved to Los Angeles in 1939 where Marcia was born in 1940. After the bombing at Pearl Harbor, they moved to Cheyenne, Wyo., where Robert was born in 1942. In 1943 they moved to San Francisco where Kathleen was born in 1944.

Emma was a loving and loved mother to her three children. After her husband, John, retired from the San Francisco Fire Department in 1972, they moved to Angwin. During their retirement years, they had many wonderful travels around the world. John died in 1994.

In 1999, she moved to Sonoma, to be closer to her daughter, Marcia. Because of her motherly and loving ways, she was a mother figure for many people over the years. She was loved by many. She was unusual in her ability to bring out the best in everyone she came in contact with. Everyone felt her love and acceptance. She genuinely cared about everyone and made everyone feel special. She did not have a mean bone in her body. Emma was a talented needle artist and prolific quilter and cook.

Emma had many close friends and family and will be missed by all. Survivors include daughter, Marcia Arevalo (Aida deArteaga), of Sonoma and Taos, N. M.; son, Robert (Carolyn), of Rockford, Ill.; daughter, Kathleen Long (Chris), of Richmond; sisters, Ruth Roybal, of Auburn; Gloria Gertz, of Sacramento; Lavinia Vigil, of Springfield, Miss.; Henrietta Votaw, of San Jose; brother, Gregory Maestas, of Eureka; grandsons, Garth Arevalo, of Tampa, Fla.; and Jordan Gilbert (Ann), of Vallejo; granddaughters, Molly Arevalo, of Los Angeles; and Marina Lucchesi (Peter), of San Francisco; great-granddaughter, Emma Gilbert; and great-grandson, Caden Gilbert. Survivors also include a large number of nephews and nieces and many friends. Ten siblings predeceased her.

Special thanks to neighbors Gary and Edjie Lewis, Martin and Jane Westfield, and Willie and Ron Vaughn, for their love and attention through the years. The family also wishes to express sincere gratitude to her caregivers Nora Santos and Leticia Aquino and Hospice By The Bay for their kindness, caring and compassion.

A memorial and celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014, at 1 p.m., at the First Congregational Church of Sonoma, 252 W. Spain St. Sonoma, California 95476. A reception will be held immediately following the service in the Burlingame Hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Congregational Church of Sonoma.