Marie Louise Doering Gandrup

Marie Louise Doering Gandrup died Tuesday at home at the age of 93. Born in Salinas in 1913, Gandrup resided in Watsonville most of her life.

Gandrup lived a life as colorful as her garden. She was a member of the following groups: the Corralitos Women's club, The Italian Catholic Federation, the Altar Society, and Silver Thimble Club. She gathered and arranged flowers for the church every week as well as played the organ. Gandrup was also the oldest charter member of the Mount Madonna Grange, where she met her husband, Sidney.

Gandrup was a family-oriented woman, often hosting numerous people on a regular basis for family dinners. She grew and canned many of the family's fresh vegetables and was a family seamstress. Together the Gandrups put five kids through college, ran a water company and built two subdivisions that led to building and selling homes in the local Watsonville/Orchard Park community and Clear Lake, CA. They farmed in the Harkins Slough area during WWII and at Gandrup Farms on Peckham Road. Gandrup grew and sold pickling cucumbers too.

Socially, she hosted Gandrup family reunions every July and enjoyed traveling the world with the Watsonville Band. A pillar of the community and her own family, Gandrup lived a good, long life. She will be missed.

Marie joins her husband Sidney and two children: Louise Staka and Joan Clifford; and is survived by her children: Jerry Gandrup, Marion Lyng, Linda Arietta, Jim Gandrup; and grandchildren: Malis Freidman Karen Atkins, Cary Gandrup, Sean Moncovich, Jennifer Watson, Susan Staka, Lara Smith, Andre Gandrup, Cindy Staka, Kerian and Aaron Clifford, as well as 12 great grandchildren: Blake, Rochelle, Acacia, Hunter, Faith, Calvin, Shiloh, Hannah, Alexa, Ashton, Wade, and Zander.

The viewing is on Monday, February 19th from 5-8 pm at Mehl's Colonial Chapel on E. Lake Avenue, Watsonville.

Services will be held Tuesday, February 20, 2007 at 10:00 am at Valley Catholic Church on E. Lake Ave/ Hwy 152. Burial will follow at Valley Catholic Cemetery.

Please, in lieu of flowers, contribute a plant for Marie's Memory Garden.

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