Lila Mae Irene
D’Andrea Ueckert
-- Lila Ueckert died April 16, 2008 in Walnut Creek at the age of 81,
surrounded by her family. Born July 12, 1926 in Silverton, Oregon to Otto
and Helen D’Andrea, Lila grew up in Port Chicago and Concord. She graduated
from Mt. Diablo High School in 1944 and attended the University of
California at Berkeley. While a student at Cal, she worked for Nobel
laureate Dr. Lawrence and Mrs. Lawrence taking care of the Lawrence
children. She loved being a student at Cal because she said she met so many
fascinating people. She worked for Social Services in Martinez for 10 years
as an AFDC Eligibility Worker. She loved history and travel, visiting
Europe, Greece, and the Far East. She retired in 1984 to a beautiful 10-acre
property in Grass Valley where she hosted her famed annual Fourth of July
family reunions. She loved surrounding herself with family and friends, and
she loved that land. In her golf cart loaded with garden tools and her red
dog Kubi in her lap, she single-handedly cared for her acreage and her
beloved pond. In 1996, she read “The Beardstown Ladies”, studied Valueline,
did SSG’s, and started her own NAIC-affiliated investment club for women.
She went on to start and participate in two more clubs in Grass Valley. Her
stock picks were consistently sound and her club members had much respect
for her. She was an active volunteer in Grass Valley for many years,
providing assistance to low-income seniors. She received a letter of
commendation signed by President George Bush for her years of service to the
community. She is survived by her four children Kirk, Andrea, Scott, and
John; by her grandchildren Tara, Leah, Trista and Todd; by her sisters
Arlita and Yolonda; by her brothers-in-law Robert and Don; by her son-in-law
Jim and daughters-in-law Colleen and Sandra; and by many nieces and nephews.
A Memorial gathering for family and friends will be held at the home of
Arlita on Saturday, May 17 at 3 PM. She will be greatly missed.