Celeste Navarra

Celeste Navarra died peacefully in the company of her loving family on February 15, 2026. She was 97 years old.

Celeste Savilla Burnham was born on May 5, 1928, in Canoga Park, CA. Her mother was a painter who trained at the prestigious Pratt School of Design in New York City, and Celeste grew up with a keen appreciation of art. The family, including her grandparents, moved to Canoga Park in Southern California when Celeste was a schoolgirl and her grandparents lived next door. Celeste told many stories about the joy of growing up with her grandparents so close by. She graduated from Canoga Park High School where she met the love of her life and future husband, Albert Navarra.

In the early 1950s, Celeste and Albert joined Albert's parents, Carmelo and Marie Navarra, and his brothers and sisters in relocating their farming operation from the San Fernando Valley to Tracy. Celeste did the design and she and Albert did much of the construction on their home on Vernalis Road, facing Mount Oso, where they lived from 1954 until their deaths.

Albert and his brother Carl formed C&A Navarra Farms, and Celeste served as their office manager, bookkeeper, dispatcher, and chief problem solver. She had 15 nieces and nephews on whom she doted and who were absolutely devoted to her for her entire life. Celeste considered herself very fortunate to have married into a family that was tight knit, loving, hardworking, and fun. Celeste also had many lifelong friends, most in the farming community, with whom she socialized. She enjoyed playing tennis, racquetball, cards, reading, and doing needlework. She loved animals, both domesticated and wild, and was concerned about their welfare and safety.

Celeste and Albert loved to travel and visited the far corners of the world. They went on a safari to Africa, explored China when it had just opened to the west, visited most countries in Europe, flew on the Concorde, and took several cruises to exotic locales. Celeste was a licensed pilot and served as co-pilot when she and Albert flew their single engine Cessna to their getaway on the ocean at Pajaro Dunes and to other locations across the western United States.

Celeste was preceded in death by her husband, Albert, her parents John and Celeste Burnham, and her in-laws, Carmelo and Marie Navarra. Also preceding her in death were her brothers-in-law and sisters-in law Anthony and Avis Navarra, Rose and Leonard Patello, Carl and Lena Navarra, Pete Navarra, and Genevieve and Bias Profito; and by nieces and nephews Marie Brandt, Carleen Gates, Antoinette Stratton, Jo Ann Kappesser, and Charles Profito. She is survived by nieces and nephews Judy Vice, Anthony Navarra, Marie Bacchetti, Genarose Imhof, Carl (Butch) Patello, Patricia Giambanco, Carl Navarra, Adele Leonard, Nancy Navarra, and Peter Navarra, their spouses, and many great and great great nieces and nephews. She was loved by all and will be remembered with affection.

Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at Fry Memorial Chapel, 550 South Central Avenue, Tracy. Celeste has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to PAWS (Performing Animals Welfare Society), PO Box 849, Galt, CA 95632.