Earlene Mina Lagier, 80 years of age, passed comfortably at home on August 13th, 2023 in the company of her husband, and her long-time caretaker. She was a wife, mother, auntie, nonna, and bisnonna and was beloved to all that knew her. Born on March 8, 1943, to Earl and Irene DeWitt in Stockton, CA, the eldest of three daughters, she was raised in the Catholic faith and attended Catholic schools in Stockton, graduating from Saint Mary’s High School in 1961. Earlene had a large extended family with many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Some of her fondest memories were those spent with these relatives at family holidays and gatherings. Earlene was brought up in the Genovesan traditions of her Italian immigrant grandparents. She was always proud of her Italian heritage and often would be seen wearing a ”Kiss me I’m Italian” t-shirt! Ravioli, torte, figassa, and other Italian delicacies were regularly laid on her dinner table. In the early 1960’s, she met her future husband, Paul, at the summer Italian dances at Mickey Grove. Their first date was a Sunday sail in the San Joaquin River Delta, a foreshadowing of the aquatic life they would share together.
Earlene adored children and fashioned a career around them. She worked as a teacher’s aide in the Ripon and Escalon Unified School Districts providing love,
instruction, and support to a generation of young children. The final chapter of her work life was dedicated to assisting students with special needs in the greater San Joaquin County. When a young and vulnerable six-year-old girl, in need of care, passed through her kindergarten class, she opened her home and raised up a second daughter. Such was her desire to help others. Like many of her generation, Earlene had her fingers in many pots. She was active in such organizations as the Ripon Garden Club, the Beta Sigma Phi sorority, the Young Ladies Institute, and the Atlanta 4-H club. She was a long-time volunteer at the Ripon Library and was a much loved and dedicated member of both the Marina Bay and Point San Pablo Yacht Clubs. She was a Master Food Preserver and for decades was a top
blue-ribbon-getter at the San Joaquin County Fair. Her pantry was always bursting with the fruits of her labors, and she generously shared her bounty with family and friends. She kept multiple gardens and tended them diligently. She was at home at the working end of a needle and could often be found aback of her sewing machine creating everything under the sun. She was a true craftswoman. But for all her interests and accomplishments, she may have been at her best on the water. She was an accomplished water-skier and simply loved summering and sunning on the delta. She was a life-long first-mate to Paul and was equally comfortable dawdling on the Delta, day-sailing in San Francisco Bay, excursioning in the Sea of Cortez, or ocean-voyaging to and from her beloved Hawaiian Islands aboard La Dolce Vita. She had a genuine zest for life and dove in with both feet. She will live in the hearts of many for years to
come.
Earlene is survived by her husband of 60 years, Paul Lagier, two children, Sharon Lagier and Robert Lagier (Erin), two sisters, Glenda Mansfield (Scotty) and Patricia Hasty (Hap), foster-
daughter, Veronica Gutierrez, grandchildren, Lauren Chamberlain
(Frank Hernandez), Caleb Lagier, William Lagier, and Benjamin Lagier, and great-granddaughter Avari Hernandez. The family would like to acknowledge the unparalleled service provided by Earlene’s long-time caretaker, Hazel Fourre. Hazel was Earlene’s last best friend and partner in crime.
She provided love, comfort, and support to Earlene in her final years. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on August 29th ,at Deegan Ripon
Memorial Chapel, 111 S. Palm Avenue, Ripon, CA 95366. Reception to follow at Mavis Stouffer Park. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her name to the Ripon Memorial Library or the Alzheimer’s Association.
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
