Jewel Chenoweth

Jewel Esther Thorpe passed away peacefully November 26, 2010 in the comfort of Five Palms care home Santa Rosa. She was 89. Born August 14, 1921 to a 4th generation pioneer family, Jewel's birth was a surprise to all including Dr. Miller as she followed her twin sister's delivery by a half-hour. Jewel's childhood began simply enough along side her brother Jim, sharing her early years with her twin sister June living in the old Coleman home ranch on Fitzpatrick Lane, followed by the Buckhorn Lumber Mill on Coleman Valley Road. She very much enjoyed living in a multi-generational home which included her brother Jim, sister June, parents Bill and Mandy, grandparents Bill and Jennie Thorpe and her Uncle Charlie Thorpe. Through the numerous relocations which continued until high school, Jewel was able to enjoy and call various cities and towns located throughout Sonoma County her home. Jewel especially enjoyed spending time at her Aunt Esther and Uncle Spirito Ballatore's ranch in Valley Ford. Through her years of schooling, sports were a familiar activity which both sisters truly excelled and thoroughly enjoyed. She graduated from Healdsburg High in 1941. Following high school Jewel settled down with the love of her life, her late husband Leslie Claire Chenoweth whom she married on January 27, 1942. It did not take long before the young couple found themselves in Branscomb, California, where Les found work in a lumber mill. The young couple's first joy came the next year with their first daughter Patricia June Chenoweth. Only a few years apart did their second addition to the family arrive with the birth of Joan Arlene Chenoweth. With young children in hand Jewel and Les moved to Bodega to begin construction of a sawmill with Les's father Hardin T. Chenoweth, later to be known as Chenoweth & Chenoweth Lumber. With the addition of Bill Chenoweth in the family business the mill was most well known as Chenoweth Lumber. On a one acre piece of land next to the mill site Jewel and Les built their home in 1952. Over the years they raised their two daughters to adulthood and Jewel was fortunate enough to call this house her home all her life without having to move ever again. Jewel loved the country, the many pets the family shared over the years, and the town that truly felt home, Bodega. Steadily over the years another passion developed, photography. Chronicling her family's holidays, daily activities and vacations to Clear Lake, Jewel amassed a fortune of photo albums rich with smiles and a path that followed the birth of a twin to Mandy Thorpe in 1921 and trials and tribulations that followed life in the 1920's to the blessing of love with her husband Leslie and raising two beautiful daughters. To be a part of Chenoweth Lumber was a great pride of hers and something she never shied away from talking about. In May of 1985 another joy presented itself in the form of Jewel and Les's first and only grandchild, Steven Chenoweth Rach. The new grandparents couldn't have been happier and her camera was there every step of the way to capture their joy. In her adult life Jewel became an avid animal lover both domestic and wild all of whom she cared for and called her pets. In her later years her true love for felines blossomed. She was a familiar face at Pet Care and feed stores across Sonoma County. During the summers her home became engulfed with flowers from her large Rhododendron garden which she was very proud of. In the most recent years Jewel was pleased to see her grandson carry on the family's lumber tradition beginning in 2003. Jewel was a 50 year member of Order of the Eastern Star, Sebastopol and princess of Nefri-Ari Temple (No. 17) Daughter of the Nile in Oakland. Jewel was never short of laughs and smiles and those smiles and her recognizable laughter will never be forgotten. Jewel is survived by her twin sister June Campbell; her daughters Patricia Aho, Joan Chenoweth; and her grandson Steven Chenoweth Rach; and numerous nieces and nephews. Predeceased by her brother Jim Thorpe and her loving husband Les, whom she shared 45 years of marriage. The family would like to thank Heartland Hospice and everyone at Five Palms for their loving care of Jewel. A Visitation will be held on Monday, December 13th from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at PARENT-SORENSEN MORTUARY, 301 S. Main St, Sebastopol, 829-5433. Friends and loved ones are invited to join together at the Union Hotel, Occidental on December 14th at 2:00 p.m. to share in the life and love of Jewel E. Chenoweth. Private Interment. Donations can be made to Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County, P.O. Box 6672, Santa Rosa, CA, 95406 or Shriners Hospital for Children, Defy the Odds Campaign, P.O. Box 31356, Tampa, FL, 33631.