Adeline Harper

Adeline Harper, 102, passed away on Nov. 29, 2022 at North Valley Extended Care with her daughter, Susan, by her side. Adeline was born on Jan. 25, 1920 to Irene and Donaciano Castro in Jaroso, CO. She was the 17th child born out of 22 siblings and 7 step-siblings. Her, beloved, father was a vegetable farmer and raised his large, hardworking, fun-loving family on a farm named Celeryvale outside of Brighton, CO. In 1933 Donaciano died of heart failure. Adeline was 13 years old and she missed him every day of her life. Adeline was closest to her sister Terry, born 1918, and her brother Edward, born 1921. She was their champion and protector. They remained close throughout their lives. In 1939 she visited Terry and her family in Oakland, California and the next year she moved out. She got a job as a nightclub photographer. This was the Big Band era and she worked in some of the most glamorous spots in the Bay Area; Sweets Ball Room in Oakland, Bimbo's 365 Club and the Sky Room at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco. She was, incredibly, beautiful and had such a terrific personality she was a great success at her job. She loved capturing people in their happy moments during such uncertain times. In 1943 she met Bill Harper while working as a photographer at the Sky Room. They married in Aug. 1944 in Memphis, Tenn. where his family lived. Their first daughter, Barbara, was born there in May of 1945. Bill was serving in the Merchant Marines and was based out of San Francisco, so, back they went to the City. Their second daughter, Susan, was born in 1947. Unfortunately, the marriage did not survive the end of the war. Adeline and her daughters moved back to Denver to live with her mother Irene. Five years later the girls joined their Dad and his wife, Sue, in San Francisco and Adeline moved back to Oakland to be close by. She found work at Woolworth's department store, then at the Foster's restaurant chain. When they closed, she worked as a short order cook in local coffee shops. Her customers and co-workers loved her, irreverent, sense of humor and appreciated her strong work ethic. In 1975 Susan sent her to manicuring school; "for a rest" she joked. She loved this job until she retired 10 years later. In 1955 she met the love of her life, Vern Perry. They enjoyed bowling in the same league, cheering on the Raiders football team and the Oakland A's. Win or lose, they liked going to Goldengate Fields race track. Together, they planned special outings for the girls on the weekends they visited. Vern was a positive force in their lives for 20 years. Adeline was always artistic. She had a natural talent for drawing which she worked to improve all her life. Her mother taught her to crochet as a child and she took that skill to a whole new level designing a great dress for Susan in the 1960. She made large crocheted snowflakes as Christmas gifts, made Christening gowns for babies, collars, hats, belts, purses and, yes, doilies. She, also, loved to accent clothing with sequins and bead work. Her pencil portraits of her daughters and grandchildren are family treasures. When she was 75, she took woodcarving lessons from Ward Lynch in Okanogan and carved a picture of her daughter, Barbara, that won Grand Champion at the 1989 County Fair. She was so proud of her winning ribbon. She carved and painted beautiful Christmas ornaments for her grandson, Glenn every year of his childhood. Barbara made her a grandmother in 1969 with the birth of Robert, then Todd in 1971 and Karla in 1974. Susan had a son, Glenn, in 1980. She became a great grandmother in 1999 with Kyarra by Karla and then Robert and Akiko had Kiyo in 2008 and Benjamin in 2010. Glenn and Amanda followed with Declan in 2011 and Delilah in 2016. She became a great-great grandmother when Kyarra had her son, Hayden Elijah in 2021. In 2019 we lost Barbara to heart failure. We mourn her still. Adeline moved back and forth from San Francisco to Okanogan and then Denver quite a few times after she retired in the mid 1980s. She enjoyed catching up with her grandchildren and watching their families grow. When she lived in Denver she re-connected with her step-niece, Benina Duran, who was born in the same year and was more like her sister. She became close to Edward and Minnie's kids; especially, Eddie Jr. and his wife Veronica; as well as her sister Patsy's daughters, Claudia, Irene and Emily. She loved going to family gatherings. Her niece, Emily Fransua, called her, almost, every day when she moved back to Okanogan after her 90th birthday. Adeline spent her vacation time traveling with her girls to visit family in California and Colorado. Keeping connected to her family was important to her. She lived a full and happy life. As long as she had her memory, she spoke of her Dad and her best friend and sister, Terry, who died in 1947. She missed Edward and Minnie most of all. Adeline was the last of her generation. She was preceded in death by her father and her mother, her daughter, Barbara, all of her brothers and sisters, her son-in-law, Patrick and every friend she had the pleasure to know including Vern Perry. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Graves, her grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchild, and innumerable nieces and nephews as well as their offspring that make up the huge, extended, Castro family. A gathering will be held in the Spring to celebrate her life. I want to thank every single person who works at North Valley Extended Care for their dedication to the welfare of all the residents living there. My mother was with you for over a year at the most difficult time in her life. Your appreciation of her meant the world to both of us. Thank you for speaking with her in Spanish, for listening to her stories and laughing at her jokes and, especially, for the afternoon ice cream. Your compassionate nursing bestows dignity on the people in your care when they are at their most vulnerable. I feel blessed to have spent this time with you. Thank you for your help and support and for the love. -Susan

Adeline Harper

January 25, 1920 - November 29, 2022