Yvonne Marie Rolf French

1938 - 2011

Yvonne Marie Rolf French, 73, passed away at home on Friday, April 15, 2011 after a short and sudden battle with uterine cancer. A longtime resident of Manhattan Beach, Yvonne was born January 23, 1938 in Newark, New Jersey to William and Diane Rolf. She lived in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, before moving to California at the age of 9. She attended Sts. Peter and Paul Grammar School in Wilmington and St. Anthony's High School in Long Beach. After graduation in 1955, Yvonne moved to the South Bay. She worked at Space Technologies Laboratory (STL) until November 1962. A lover of Latin music she would follow the Latineers Group who would play at the Carousel in Hermosa Beach and Cisco's in Manhattan Beach, among other venues in Southern California. She met her future husband, Mike French, at a party in Manhattan Beach and they were married at Our Lady of Las Vegas Catholic Church on November 24, 1962. Mike had moved there during the first big hotel expansion boom which lasted about two and a half years. Out of work and with two daughters, Lisa (1963) and Stephanie (1964), they returned to California and, after a brief stay with Yvonne's parents, moved to Manhattan Beach, where Mike had grown up. They settled on First Street where they lived for 45 years and where they had two sons, Greg (1967), and Chris (1969) who was born naturally at Little Company of Mary, weighing 13 lbs, 6 oz. In 1979, she went to work at Mira Costa High School and retired, after many years as principal's secretary, in January 2001. Yvonne was very active at American Martyrs Church and school, serving on the AMPA Board and co-chairing the crepe brunch at fair time with Margaret Bower. For the last 11 years, she and Margaret created a natural environment in the church sanctuary with beautiful plants and flowers. Yvonne was a Eucharistic Minister for 25 years. When she retired, she founded the Crimson Queens chapter of the Red Hat Society and held the title Queen Mum. A creative woman, she was an avid gardener, photographer and artist: painting ceramics and creating stained glass windows. Yvonne was a seamstress as a young woman and made most of her own clothes. She was Mike's beloved wife for 48 years, devoted mom, "Ma" to her grandchildren, and "Annyvonne" to her many nieces and nephews. She always supported the kids' and grandkids' activities: carpools, girl scouts, little league, soccer, rowing, and dance class. Since retiring, she and Mike traveled extensively enjoying trips throughout the US and Europe, and took numerous cruises. Yvonne was elegant. She had style, grace and class. She will be greatly missed by her many friends and extensive family. She is survived by husband, Mike; daughters, Lisa Stiles (Brian "Nelson") and Stephanie Wick Mooney (Brian); sons, Greg (Kim) and Chris (Sri); and grandchildren, Lauren French, Megan Weinshank (Jordan), Chase Wick, Aislinn and Kiera Mooney, Aubrey French and Marcus Walker and brother Bill Rolf (Olga); sisters-in-law, Phyllis Tracy (Terry) and Bridget Williams (Jeff); and many nieces, nephews and cousins. A celebration of her life will be held at American Martyrs Catholic Church on Saturday, April 30, 2011. A slide show presentation will begin at 8:45 a.m., with the funeral Mass beginning at 9:00 a.m. Reception immediately following at O'Donnell Hall. Attire for the day is dressy casual. Crimson Queen members are asked to wear their regalia. Inurnment will be private at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Torrance Memorial Medical Center, UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center or Providence Trinity Care Hospice Foundation. Please sign the guestbook at www.dailybreeze.com/obits.