Elsie Frances (Alessi) Chretien

Elsie Alessi was born in 1929 in Oakland to Italian parents. Her father Felix was from Appignano del Tronto in Le Marche, Italy and came to this country when he was 14. Her mother Elvera was born in Oakland shortly after her parents, who were from the Lake Como region of Italy, came to this country. Elsie was a very small child when she was young and went through some childhood illnesses including whooping cough which almost killed her. But she was tough and made it through it all. She was an only child for 10 years until her beloved brother Paul was born. Elsie was very protective of her baby brother and he went everywhere with her when he was little, even when she went out with her girlfriends, which probably irritated the girlfriends quite a bit. But wherever Elsie went, Paul went.

Elsie learned to sew from her Aunt Nellie who would let her come over after school and use her sewing machine. It was hard to get fabric during the war and sometimes she had to make do with something she wouldn’t normally have picked out. But she developed a great love for sewing and continued making her own garments until a few years ago.

Elsie graduated from high school in 1947 and a few years later met Jack Chretien, and they married in 1952. Jack became a California Highway Patrolman shortly after they were married and their first post was in Compton. They both missed their families in the Bay Area and began working their way north. Within a couple of years they had transferred to King City in Monterey County. Nancy was born shortly after they arrived, and a year and a half later, John was born. In 1957, Jack was able to transfer again and they chose Santa Rosa because Elsie had family in Occidental. Shortly after the move, Bill was born.

Elsie ended up raising all three of her children by herself after she and Jack were divorced. She babysat kids, took in ironing and did anything she could to supplement the child support. She rented a typewriter and taught herself to type, and eventually got an office job when Bill began first grade. She started at the DMV and a few years later transferred to Mental Health where she was a statistician. She liked to say that she was the computer before they had computers.

Elsie later took in her grandson Paul and raised him after her own children were grown. She and Paul became quite close and he always knew he could go to her with anything. She always called Paul her fourth kid and loved him as dearly as her own children.

Elsie continued sewing through the years and even entered some of her clothing items in the Sonoma County Fair where she once got best of show for a baby dress. That meant that the dress was eligible to be entered in the State Fair. She was absolutely thrilled to see her work on display and enjoyed the day immensely.

She began quilting after she retired and it became a passion that she enjoyed for many years. She was quite active and belonged to several quilt and sewing groups including Tuesday Night Therapy with a group of friends, the Thursday sewing group with another group of friends, Moonlight Quilters and Santa Rosa Quilt Guild. She made sure everyone in her family had a quilt, and there is still a stack of her baby quilts ready for the next generation of babies in the family.

Elsie then took up crocheting which became her mainstay as sewing became more difficult for her as her eyes were failing. Everyone in the family was blessed with her potholders and homemade grocery bags. Most recently she joined the Embroiderers Guild of America with her daughter Nancy as a way to get out of the house and see people. She sat there at every meeting with her yarn and quietly made more potholders and visited with the ladies there.

Last January, Elsie moved in with Nancy and her husband Gary when she started having health problems. She hated leaving her house where she had lived for 67 years and was proud of being the last original owner in her neighborhood and the oldest person on the block. She and Gary formed a strong relationship and they talked together every day. She enjoyed the warm weather when she could go outside and sit out on the front deck and wave at all the neighbors as they walked by.

Elsie was always available to the members of her family, her neighbors and her friends. Whether they needed a shoulder to cry on, some advice for a problem, or just wanted to talk, she was there for them. She treasured the new babies and delighted in making special gifts for them. She cherished her friends and would take the time to call them and see how they were doing. She also enjoyed being the matriarch of her California extended family, and was delighted when she attained the oldest age in the family.

There were two sayings that we all heard on every occasion – “If you don’t use it, you lose it” and “Be positive!” That was Elsie’s wisdom that she loved to pass on. She ate at least two pieces of dark chocolate every day because she had heard that it was good for you. And she always had a couple of pieces of Werther’s caramels in her pocket or purse to offer to whoever she was with each day. She was known

as Mom, Ma, Mamacita, Grandma and Grams to the family. She was the center of her family for many years, and was a stellar mom and grandma who loved her kids and family fiercely.

Elsie is survived by her loving children, Nancy McLerran (Gary), John Chretien (Pixie) and Bill Chretien (Valerie), and by her honorary daughter, Shelly Smith. She also leaves behind 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her grandsons Daniel Chretien and Connor Dillon, and by her brother Paul Alessi.

Funeral services will be Thursday, June 19th at 11 am at Lafferty and Smith Colonial Chapel at 4321 Sonoma Hwy, Santa Rosa, CA. Burial will be private.

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