Zena Jefferson

Zena Alva Jefferson 93, died December 20th 2010 of a heart attack. She was born and raised in San Jose, California where she attended school, had business college training, and worked as a secretary to the local YMCA director. After WWII she moved to San Francisco where she first worked for the California Bar Association. But her major work was with the wide range of people who passed through the International Institute on Van Ness Avenue during her many years with organization. She somehow found time to do volunteer work for twenty years at St. Francis Hospital. Zena was a person who just plain liked people of all stripes and occupations. She was always ready with a smile, a joke, a comment that made the listener laugh or smile in appreciation of her good humor. Zena enjoyed over 50 years of married life with Jack Jefferson, a well known artist and art instructor, who died ten years ago. They were married in the First Unitarian church where Zena has been an active member. She spent her last ten years living in a retirement hotel in San Francisco where she tried to keep up with her nieces and nephews, grands and great-grands along with friends of many years standing. Her brother Charles and his wife Sylvia made several trips a year from their home in Monmouth, Oregon, to visit and help her, but her main care givers were David Solis and Cecilia Barnard-Solis who visited her frequently from Alameda and helped her regularly in many ways- Cecilia is one of Zena's grand nieces. Other nieces and nephews of long standing include Mrs. Robert Bick of San Jose and nephew John Barnard of Alameda along with grand-nieces and their children. Zena and Jeff joined the Neptune Society of San Francisco who will handle funeral arrangements.