DTH INDX--CA--Zella Bashore Christiansen (CA-29 Nov 1901--12 Feb 1987); Death=San Luis Obispo; PRNTS--Bashore--Overholtzer
Family lore indicates middle name is Josephine
Mel Bashore & family wrote a book about the Bashore family; this Biographical sketch of Zella was created for him (by Mimi Boothby) to include in the book; he has graciously shared it for this memorial.
ZELLA BASHORE was born in 1901 and lived on the family's acreage in Covina with a vegetable garden and orange groves. Their family owned one of the first cars in the area. When Zella was twelve, she learned to drive their Model T by driving it around their circular driveway. She was best buddies with her brother Lee throughout their childhood--they were inseparable. One of her favorite memories was how Lee would eat his lunch on the way to school and invariably talk her out of most of hers at lunchtime. She attended the Covina schools and LaVerne College. One of her interests was "giving readings"--reading a story to an audience in a most descriptive and animated way. She cherished an award that she won for doing that. Zella was a member of the Brethren church and was very active in it during her youth. As a teenager, she led the singing in the church.
When she was eighteen, she eloped with Lynn Hall, a young man who worked in his father's electrical store (Hall and Son Electric) in Pomona. They kept their elopement secret and returned to their respective homes. After a few days, Lynn's father questioned him: "Aren't you married to that girl?" Lynn reluctantly replied, "Well . . . . yes." "Then go and get her and bring her home!," retorted his father. Zella and Lynn had three children. Their last child, Al, was born on Christmas. Zella's two daughters received dolls for Christmas that year. Dorothy called hers "Ruth" and Evie called hers "Kittycat." After they received their dolls, they were shown the newest arrival.
Zella was "Mom Hall" to many of their children's friends. Her family was most important to her. Zella had to work very hard, raising children during the Depression. She and her husband would buy and sell gas stations--fix them up, build up the clientele, and sell. At the time, gas sold for six cents a gallon. When their children were still small, they moved back to Covina and Zella got a part-time job at Custer and Christiansen Mortuary. It eventually worked into a full-time job. She worked there until she retire.
If there is a single word to describe Zella, it would be "compassionate." In her work at the mortuary, she gently helped bereaved families through their difficult, but necessary decisions with heartfelt compassion. Many people took their business to that mortuary simply because she worked there. Her husband, Lynn, died in 1952.
She remarried in 1966 to Eugene Christiansen, one of the founders of Custer and Christiansen Mortuary. They made their home in Diamond Bar until his death in 1977. She moved to Morro Bay in 1979 to be closer to her children and lived there until her death in 1987. In her later years, she continued caring for other people. She spent her evenings and long nights (she was a night owl) helping the nurses care for all the "old ladies" who also resided at her home--the Huntington--a home for senior citizens. During her final years, she remarked to her daughter, "It's been quite a life but I have and still do enjoy it. My family has made my life." At the time of her death, she was survived by three children, twelve grandchildren, and thirty-two great-grandchildren.
Family lore indicates middle name is Josephine
Mel Bashore & family wrote a book about the Bashore family; this Biographical sketch of Zella was created for him (by Mimi Boothby) to include in the book; he has graciously shared it for this memorial.
ZELLA BASHORE was born in 1901 and lived on the family's acreage in Covina with a vegetable garden and orange groves. Their family owned one of the first cars in the area. When Zella was twelve, she learned to drive their Model T by driving it around their circular driveway. She was best buddies with her brother Lee throughout their childhood--they were inseparable. One of her favorite memories was how Lee would eat his lunch on the way to school and invariably talk her out of most of hers at lunchtime. She attended the Covina schools and LaVerne College. One of her interests was "giving readings"--reading a story to an audience in a most descriptive and animated way. She cherished an award that she won for doing that. Zella was a member of the Brethren church and was very active in it during her youth. As a teenager, she led the singing in the church.
When she was eighteen, she eloped with Lynn Hall, a young man who worked in his father's electrical store (Hall and Son Electric) in Pomona. They kept their elopement secret and returned to their respective homes. After a few days, Lynn's father questioned him: "Aren't you married to that girl?" Lynn reluctantly replied, "Well . . . . yes." "Then go and get her and bring her home!," retorted his father. Zella and Lynn had three children. Their last child, Al, was born on Christmas. Zella's two daughters received dolls for Christmas that year. Dorothy called hers "Ruth" and Evie called hers "Kittycat." After they received their dolls, they were shown the newest arrival.
Zella was "Mom Hall" to many of their children's friends. Her family was most important to her. Zella had to work very hard, raising children during the Depression. She and her husband would buy and sell gas stations--fix them up, build up the clientele, and sell. At the time, gas sold for six cents a gallon. When their children were still small, they moved back to Covina and Zella got a part-time job at Custer and Christiansen Mortuary. It eventually worked into a full-time job. She worked there until she retire.
If there is a single word to describe Zella, it would be "compassionate." In her work at the mortuary, she gently helped bereaved families through their difficult, but necessary decisions with heartfelt compassion. Many people took their business to that mortuary simply because she worked there. Her husband, Lynn, died in 1952.
She remarried in 1966 to Eugene Christiansen, one of the founders of Custer and Christiansen Mortuary. They made their home in Diamond Bar until his death in 1977. She moved to Morro Bay in 1979 to be closer to her children and lived there until her death in 1987. In her later years, she continued caring for other people. She spent her evenings and long nights (she was a night owl) helping the nurses care for all the "old ladies" who also resided at her home--the Huntington--a home for senior citizens. During her final years, she remarked to her daughter, "It's been quite a life but I have and still do enjoy it. My family has made my life." At the time of her death, she was survived by three children, twelve grandchildren, and thirty-two great-grandchildren.
DTH INDX--CA--Zella Bashore Christiansen (CA-29 Nov 1901--12 Feb 1987); Death=San Luis Obispo; PRNTS--Bashore--Overholtzer
Family lore indicates middle name is Josephine
Mel Bashore & family wrote a book about the Bashore family; this Biographical sketch of Zella was created for him (by Mimi Boothby) to include in the book; he has graciously shared it for this memorial.
ZELLA BASHORE was born in 1901 and lived on the family's acreage in Covina with a vegetable garden and orange groves. Their family owned one of the first cars in the area. When Zella was twelve, she learned to drive their Model T by driving it around their circular driveway. She was best buddies with her brother Lee throughout their childhood--they were inseparable. One of her favorite memories was how Lee would eat his lunch on the way to school and invariably talk her out of most of hers at lunchtime. She attended the Covina schools and LaVerne College. One of her interests was "giving readings"--reading a story to an audience in a most descriptive and animated way. She cherished an award that she won for doing that. Zella was a member of the Brethren church and was very active in it during her youth. As a teenager, she led the singing in the church.
When she was eighteen, she eloped with Lynn Hall, a young man who worked in his father's electrical store (Hall and Son Electric) in Pomona. They kept their elopement secret and returned to their respective homes. After a few days, Lynn's father questioned him: "Aren't you married to that girl?" Lynn reluctantly replied, "Well . . . . yes." "Then go and get her and bring her home!," retorted his father. Zella and Lynn had three children. Their last child, Al, was born on Christmas. Zella's two daughters received dolls for Christmas that year. Dorothy called hers "Ruth" and Evie called hers "Kittycat." After they received their dolls, they were shown the newest arrival.
Zella was "Mom Hall" to many of their children's friends. Her family was most important to her. Zella had to work very hard, raising children during the Depression. She and her husband would buy and sell gas stations--fix them up, build up the clientele, and sell. At the time, gas sold for six cents a gallon. When their children were still small, they moved back to Covina and Zella got a part-time job at Custer and Christiansen Mortuary. It eventually worked into a full-time job. She worked there until she retire.
If there is a single word to describe Zella, it would be "compassionate." In her work at the mortuary, she gently helped bereaved families through their difficult, but necessary decisions with heartfelt compassion. Many people took their business to that mortuary simply because she worked there. Her husband, Lynn, died in 1952.
She remarried in 1966 to Eugene Christiansen, one of the founders of Custer and Christiansen Mortuary. They made their home in Diamond Bar until his death in 1977. She moved to Morro Bay in 1979 to be closer to her children and lived there until her death in 1987. In her later years, she continued caring for other people. She spent her evenings and long nights (she was a night owl) helping the nurses care for all the "old ladies" who also resided at her home--the Huntington--a home for senior citizens. During her final years, she remarked to her daughter, "It's been quite a life but I have and still do enjoy it. My family has made my life." At the time of her death, she was survived by three children, twelve grandchildren, and thirty-two great-grandchildren.
Family lore indicates middle name is Josephine
Mel Bashore & family wrote a book about the Bashore family; this Biographical sketch of Zella was created for him (by Mimi Boothby) to include in the book; he has graciously shared it for this memorial.
ZELLA BASHORE was born in 1901 and lived on the family's acreage in Covina with a vegetable garden and orange groves. Their family owned one of the first cars in the area. When Zella was twelve, she learned to drive their Model T by driving it around their circular driveway. She was best buddies with her brother Lee throughout their childhood--they were inseparable. One of her favorite memories was how Lee would eat his lunch on the way to school and invariably talk her out of most of hers at lunchtime. She attended the Covina schools and LaVerne College. One of her interests was "giving readings"--reading a story to an audience in a most descriptive and animated way. She cherished an award that she won for doing that. Zella was a member of the Brethren church and was very active in it during her youth. As a teenager, she led the singing in the church.
When she was eighteen, she eloped with Lynn Hall, a young man who worked in his father's electrical store (Hall and Son Electric) in Pomona. They kept their elopement secret and returned to their respective homes. After a few days, Lynn's father questioned him: "Aren't you married to that girl?" Lynn reluctantly replied, "Well . . . . yes." "Then go and get her and bring her home!," retorted his father. Zella and Lynn had three children. Their last child, Al, was born on Christmas. Zella's two daughters received dolls for Christmas that year. Dorothy called hers "Ruth" and Evie called hers "Kittycat." After they received their dolls, they were shown the newest arrival.
Zella was "Mom Hall" to many of their children's friends. Her family was most important to her. Zella had to work very hard, raising children during the Depression. She and her husband would buy and sell gas stations--fix them up, build up the clientele, and sell. At the time, gas sold for six cents a gallon. When their children were still small, they moved back to Covina and Zella got a part-time job at Custer and Christiansen Mortuary. It eventually worked into a full-time job. She worked there until she retire.
If there is a single word to describe Zella, it would be "compassionate." In her work at the mortuary, she gently helped bereaved families through their difficult, but necessary decisions with heartfelt compassion. Many people took their business to that mortuary simply because she worked there. Her husband, Lynn, died in 1952.
She remarried in 1966 to Eugene Christiansen, one of the founders of Custer and Christiansen Mortuary. They made their home in Diamond Bar until his death in 1977. She moved to Morro Bay in 1979 to be closer to her children and lived there until her death in 1987. In her later years, she continued caring for other people. She spent her evenings and long nights (she was a night owl) helping the nurses care for all the "old ladies" who also resided at her home--the Huntington--a home for senior citizens. During her final years, she remarked to her daughter, "It's been quite a life but I have and still do enjoy it. My family has made my life." At the time of her death, she was survived by three children, twelve grandchildren, and thirty-two great-grandchildren.
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