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Nellie Janet Richetta
January 31, 1927-October 22, 2019
Richetta obit pic
Grief never ends...but it changes. It’s a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith...it is the price of love.
   Nellie Richetta, passed away on October 22, 2019. She lived a long, fruitful life and is dearly missed by her family and all that knew her.
   Nellie was born on January 31, 1927, in British Colombia, Canada to Alex and Anna Reibin. Shortly after her birth they moved to Manteca, where she lived the remainder of her life. She was the oldest of five children. They lived in the Russian community on Castle Road. Nellie attended Castle School where she was the first in her family to learn to speak English which she in turn taught to her parents and siblings. Taking care of and teaching others would become a theme in her life.
   She graduated from Manteca High School and College of the Pacific where she earned an AA degree as a Nursing Aide. She met her husband, Leo Richetta, at Manteca High School. After he returned from WWll, they were married on August 4, 1946.
   Nellie is survived by her husband of 73+ years, four children, Kathryn Foster, Gayle Bumgarner, Dayle Peterson (Greg) and Richard Richetta (Thierry Durandard), eight grandchildren, Leo (Tammy) and Kim Foster, Heather (Miguel) Medina, Shawn Bumgarner, Desi (Caleb) Walker, Mandi (Lionel) Peterson, Saundi (Mike) Woodall and Josh (Michele) Peterson, and 11 great- grandchildren, Nate, Haley, Nicole, Mathew, Logan, Payton, Ezra, Violet, Ben, Aribella and Lucas. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alex and Anna Reibin, siblings, Vera Morris, Fred Reibin, Walt Reibin, and Sarah Kiriluk, and son-in-law Gary Bumgarner.
   Nellie loved people and was very social throughout her life. In her younger years they were active in square dancing, water  and snow skiing and bowling. She was very active as a 4-H leader, teaching sewing, cooking, canning, and home furnishing. As Rick got older they became very involved in showing and breeding Arabian horses. She belonged to many clubs including a group of high school friends they simply called “club”, a sewing club, Haute Couture, Big Valley Sam RV Club, Manteca Historical Society and Museum, and a local troop packing group.
   Nellie generously shared fruit, nuts, veggies, and berries from the garden. She was a very loving, kind, compassionate, caring, and patient person. She was able to overcome many of life’s challenges with her unfailing positive attitude. Everything she did, she did well because she did it out of love for her family, friends and even strangers. She was a great example of “A Life Well Lived!”
   Due to circumstances, a “Celebration of Life” was held with family only on March 8, 2020. We all loved her so much. She is dearly missed.

Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin

Friday, October 23, 2020