7      VIII   Sterling Edward           b. 10 Aug 1914 in Vallejo, Solano County, Ca.;

Marion M.

'From a very early age (five) I remember Marion being around the home a lot of the time. Clara, the lady who took care of Tom and me, was one of Marion's favorites. I remember a discussion in our living room on Harding Way about racism. Marion was the civil rights activist for the family. She treated everyone on a merit basis regardless of color. Interesting, since many members of the entire family claimed to be unprejudiced, yet their actions told another story. Not Marion.

'From a very early age (five) I remember Marion being around the home a lot of the time. Clara, the lady who took care of Tom and me, was one of Marion's favorites. I remember a discussion in our living room on Harding Way about racism. Marion was the civil rights activist for the family. She treated everyone on a merit basis regardless of color. Interesting, since many members of the entire family claimed to be unprejudiced, yet their actions told another story. Not Marion.

As a young girl I earned some extra money by cleaning up her house while she was at work. Earl was in the room at the end of the hall. This was on Lyman Rd in Oakland. Earl always scared me as a child. He was married to Marion, his second marriage, and was also an alcoholic. By the time I was involved he was sober, but very grouchy. I basically stayed clear of him. Marion and I would often play scrabble when she got home from work. We would have a light dinner together and then sit down to the game. She was SMART and taught me so much about vocabulary and the emphasis on the right word. Later she taught me how to write.

Meanwhile she spent many an evening with my parents discussing her work in the Civil Service, my Dad's work, and of course, politics.  I will never forget the night she took me to see Adlai Stevenson at the Oakland Auditorium. We had been talking about how bright he was and what a great candidate, and now I was going to see him. It was FABULOUS!  Marion had a couple of surgeries, both times she recouped at our home and shared my bedroom. That, combined with our scrabble game nights was when I really got to know her.

She was out front and honest. A question asked was answered honestly, without any cover up to shield me from knowledge.. Knowledge was VERY important to her. She taught me how to write, taking my work and teaching me how to refine it even to the last syllable. When I graduated from High School I challenged the English 1A class at UC Berkeley and passed with flying colors. She taught me how to write in an interesting fashion and get to the point. I remember one time my professor told us to write a seven page paper on blah, blah and I turned in four pages, saying it all was said in four pages and I got an A+.

Marion would tell me things about the family that my parents would not even discuss. It was great to have a confidant and I know she really liked me.  She was also a great mediator in a family dispute. She was so straightforward and respected for her role in the family. She helped everyone. She had attained a supervisor job in the Civil Service system that had never been given to a woman.  She was wonderful and I miss her immensely.'  [Courtesy of niece Monique Madigan Bonjour, 17 June 2001]

Marion was in charge of Civil Service for Alameda County, which was all Federal, State, and County and City Government.  Marion helped get Ross Sr. a job at the U.S Post Office in Oakland when the depression was over [Bob Beall June 2001], and got jobs for a young Mark Chatigny, who just got out of the war, was married to Peggy, was a freshman in college, and already had one child.  She continued to get him jobs while he was in college and also found the young Chatigny family affordable housing.  All was greatly appreciated.  According to Mark Chatigny, June 2001, she really went over and beyond the call of duty to help them out.  To this day, he is most appreciative and remembers Marion fondly. [Mark Chatigny, June 2001]

Margaret Virginia (Rita)

‘Ross & Rita met when Ross was dating Muriel Colthurst. They were going to Monterey on a double date. The car ran out of gas and Ross tried to siphon gas from the other car. He sucked in too many gas fumes and had to go to the hospital.  Muriel went on with Rita's date and Rita stayed at the hospital with Ross. They got married March 1st 192? It was not uncommon for kids to get out on there own at early ages (their education ended at the 8th grade. It was a equal to high school today).  Ross ran away from home at age 15 and worked in the Oldsmobile plant in Detroit, had a hot romance and decided to join the Army and go to Europe, he was fluent in German, instead they sent him to Hawaii. He was discharged in Oakland and decided like so many to stay in Calif. Rita also left school after eight grade and found employment as a millinery (Hat Maker) in San Francisco. After they got married they live in Oakland where Ross had a scheme to sell hand held windshield wiper blades just before the electric model came out on cars. Bad timing. He sold radios which were a hot item like TV today.  While working for the post office he started an Insurance business under his dad’s name "The Charles E Beall" Agency which turned into one of the top ten agencies in California at the time.  Rita started our family and five wonderful kids came along.  The happiest time for Rita was when she had a miraculous recovery from Rheumatic Fever that had paralyzed her from the waist down when she was 24 years of age.  The doctors said she would never walk again.  She prayed endlessly for a miracle and the Blessed Lady appeared and said she would walk in six weeks to church for Easter Sunday, and she did!!  The saddest time in their lives came when Jackie Beall 9 yrs of age passed away from Leukemia and was buried on Mother's Day. The funniest thing I can remember about our parents was times at the Russian River.  My mother was nicely endowed.  We would eat out side during the summer on a porch that faced the river.  We always had bee's dancing around the dinner table and Rita would always say "Just relax they won't bother you".  This one time a bee did a Kamikaze attack down her cleavage and stung her (with his Buddies several times) and the food went flying and Rita went a yelling and we went a laughing all night long.  Ross would like to take the boat out on the river with his pipe in his mouth and sit on the edge with the boat barely inches above the water line (Ross always had his pipe).  This one time after he had taken the boat up river we hear this cursing from the water and here he comes walking down the middle of river soaked from head to toe with his hat sagging on his head, pipe in his mouth and NO BOAT.  He flipped it but kept his pipe dry and smoking away.  We would go up to the Russian River in June and spend the summer until Labor Day.  You always knew summer was coming to an end, when you started putting the furniture up in the attic.  The River was notorious for the floods.  We had a caretaker who would open the doors of the house during flooding to let the water go through so the place wouldn't get washed away.  After the War we went to our place in Lake Tahoe for summers.  It was beautiful living on the lake but all my brothers and sister were grown up and I spent my summers without them which made it a very lonely sad place.  My best memories were of The River years.  They were alive (Jackie was alive) Vibrant memories full of young kids.  It was FUN!!!  My Mother Rita was a Party Girl.  Loved and cared for her family and she will be in Napa with us at our reunion.  You won't see her unless you’re having a good time and a drink in your hand.  Then you'll feel her next to you along with her brothers, sisters, and their husbands and wives, lifting their glasses for a toast to the kids "You the younger generations who keep our memories alive TODAY!!!’ [Courtesy of son Robert Sterling (Bob) Beall, written 11 Jun 2001]

'I asked my mother (Gloria Beall Lamson ) what were some of her fondest memories of Rita. She said that Rita and her use to go out on shopping trips. They particularly liked looking for antiques and hats.  She also said that Ross, Sr. was a practical jokester. One particular occasion ,Rita had gone to church and left Ross, Sr. and Gloria home.  Gloria was whipping up fresh cream to put on the strawberries. Being a new bride, she unfortunately asked Ross, Sr. for advice on what to put in the topping. He told her baking soda. When Rita returned and discovered what Ross, Sr. had done, she served him up a big helping of strawberry short cake and a lots of whip cream.

Gloria also added that Rita was before her time as a real estate sales person. She was always packing the family up and moving them from house to house. She was also great at fixing up houses and decorating them, One particular story Gloria said, was when Ross, Sr. returned from work in the evening and found a note on the door advising him that they had moved.' [Courtesy of daughter-in-law Gloria Beall Lamson via her daughter, Suzanne Beall, 6 Jul 2001]

'One of my fondest memories of Grandma Rita, is her laugh. It was so full and heartfelt. Even now when I hear a similar laugh, I turn around and look for her. She was a very energetic person and so full of live. She really enjoyed life everyday. I looked forward to her visits to Sacramento. She was the "Queen of Ghost Stories". She loved to tell stories about the homes where Ross and her had lived. There were the secret passage ways, mysterious locked rooms, and burglars on the landing of the stair cases. Her stories were always based on factual information which was embellished with her special brand of story telling.'  [Courtesy of granddaughter Suzanne Beall, 6 Jul 2001]

John E.(Jack), Jr.

‘Zola Almy quit school in the third year of high school and worked at the telephone company in Vallejo on the switchboard.  Her nickname at work was "Billy".  John E. Jr., Jack, met her through the telephone.  One day he arranged to meet each other in town and said he'd be wearing a red flower so she'd know him.  There were married 28 Mar 1921 in San Rafael.  She was almost eighteen.  They honeymooned in Santa Cruz. They had three children: Margaret (Peggy) born 11 Sep 1922 in Vallejo, Robert (Bob) born 21 Sep 1926, and Diane born 5 Jun 1936.  They lived in Vallejo on Tennessee St., the same apartment house as Vida Almy, Zola’s older sister.  Jack worked for the Southern Pacific Co. as a passenger Agent.  In 1927 they moved to San Francisco and lived in an apartment on College Ave, then in 1930 they moved to #38 Sala Terrace, which is in the outer Mission District.  Zola's younger brother Harold Almy lived there for a time because their mother died when he was fourteen and later her sister Golda lived there.  In 1933 they moved to 262 Silver Ave, which was closer into the city, and rented there until 1945 when they bought their home in Daly City on 93 Muirwood Drive.  There they resided until Zola died in 1964.  Jack stayed there for a while, then after marrying Eileen, he moved to Napa, CA.  Jack's second job was that of a Traffic Manager for the Pacific Far East Lines.  When he retired, he dabbled in the stock market and spent much time at a local stock exchange in downtown San Francisco.’ [Courtesy of daughter Margaret Colthurst Chatigny, written in 1983]

‘My grandparents were great.  They were loving, caring, quiet, and family oriented people.  The best times I remember are all the family functions that we had over there and the wonderful meals that my grandmother made.  Everything was made from scratch and was truly wonderful. Other best times were when I got to stay at their house for a couple of days.  I loved staying there so much that I used to always bring a little packed suitcase over to my grandparents house and beg to stay overnight.  I was so happy to wake up at their house to the smell of pancakes and bacon or sausage and eggs with homemade muffins and start another wonderful day of quality time with my grandparents.  Ah, my wish had been granted.  Nothing could have been better or nicer in a lifetime.  From the smiles on their faces when I stayed over, I know the feeling was mutual..  Since I spent much time there in Aunt Diane’s old bedroom, I really got to know them.  I learned to crochet, knit, and sew, as well as cook from my grandmother.  We spent many days crocheting together.  For my grandmother, cooking also was an art.  It started from fresh herbs and ingredients which she had delivered most of the time, and then the preparation, which she would start around 3:30 to 4:00 PM every. My grandfather was much more active.  We’re talking kite flying!  Yes, that was one of his specialties.  He knew exactly what hill to take me to and how to get that kite way up in the air and keep it up.  And when my grandmother and I would be crocheting, he’d come in and nicely bug us, just to say hi.  One time he got a little frisky because I think my grandmother ignored him, so he turned on the hose outside and sprayed it right through the living room windows.  It was a mild sprinkling and we all started laughing. He got her attention all right!  Later in life, probably when I was in high school, my grandparents started coming over to our house for the family functions and holidays.  From that time on, my grandfather, who was always used to eating at a certain time every day, would start barking at my mom and ask her if her dinner was on time.  He’d check his watch, check the activity in the kitchen, and if things didn’t look like dinner would be on time, he’d bark some more.  I felt like we were all working for the railroad.  Grandpa also started to discipline us kids if my mother wasn’t paying attention.  We’d look at each other in surprise, and clearly respond that we took orders from our parents only, and went off.  My mother, still being under the train yard watch, had no time to deal with these matters, and simply said ‘shape up’ to the kids and then got them out of the kitchen.  Stress was high, the stop watch was running, and us kids were playing away from everything and everyone.  Of course, we helped in the kitchen when we knew it was our time.  We just left mom to deal with the stop watch.   So, my mother had to deal with the stop watch and grandpa trying to discipline us kids, as well as us kids (there were 5 of us!).  She must have been under major stress.  Ah, life was never the same after my grandparents came over to our house for family functions and he wanted to run us kids, like the railroad.  Major stress.

After my grandmother passed away when I was a senior in high school, my grandfather was very lost and drank a lot.  About a year later, he married Eileen.  At first it seemed to be a good marriage, then things started to go downhill.  They stayed married, however, until he died.  Eileen then moved back to her homeland, Scotland.  I feel sad about those years he lived after grandmother died, so I remember the happier years when my grandparents were both alive.   I miss them both.’ [Courtesy of granddaughter Suzanne Chatigny Zazzi, 13 Jun 2001]

Wally

Wally’s profession was a lawyer.  He passed the State of California bar on 16 Oct 1931. [Courtesy of son Rick Colthurst Mar 2001]

Recollections of Wallace Bernard (Wally) by Sterling Colthurst, September 2001:

'As the youngest of the Colthurst clan, I looked up to my three brothers; Jack, Wallace (Wally) and Harry (Ted). They were all what one would call "good-guys"; however. Since Wally and Ted were nearer my age, I knew them more intimately and consequently, I felt closer to them.

Wally was the brainy type with an exceptional background, having spent some three to four years in the Dominican Seminary in San Rafael studying for the priesthood. In those days, the Church was not turning out young priests with the facility as they do now because the requirements have eased drastically. For instance, a novitiate in Wally's days had to master the very complex Latin-language of the Church among other subjects. Wally certainly would have been ordained a Priest had he stayed the required time, but my father's sudden death interrupted his studies. Subsequently, he was released from his vows when it was determined his presence was needed at home. (It should be noted that at this particular time, brother Jack was married and was living away from home with his family.)

Subsequently, Wally went to work as a law clerk in a Justice's Court in Oakland, acquiring the position after coming out number one on the Civil Service list. Immediately thereafter, he enrolled in the Oakland Law School, and institution founded by St. Mary's College, which was at that time located in Oakland. All during this period in the 1930's, Wally "pounded" the law books and at the end of four grueling years, he was selected as Valedictorian of his class because of his exceptional grades. Later he was to accomplish the almost impossible by being the only member of his class to pass the law-bar examination. Furthermore, a reexamination was requested by the University of California because its Rhodes scholar and Phi Beta Kappa honor student among others flunked the examination, this coupled with the statistics that showed that only 27% passed, required an unprecedented re-examination to be held.

It was during this period (1930's) that Wally met Marjorie Doran, A Vallejo-girl and daughter of a prominent doctor of that city. At the time this couple started seeing each other, Marjorie was attending U.C. Berkeley and living in a sorority on the campus of that institution. I knew it was truelove when I constantly saw mail coming from her to Wally addressed, Wallace "H.B" Colthurst. I'm sure that they thought no one could decipher what the "H.B." represented, but even "unromantic-I" knew it meant "Honey Bunch". After a multiple number of such letters, I knew brother Wally wouldn't be with us too much longer.

It was during his law-school days that Wally had some instructors who would later become prominent persons in California and one of those was Pat Brown, who was ultimately to become Governor of the state. And Wally also found time to become active in politics, serving as a Democratic Nations Committeeman at the convention that nominated Franklin Roosevelt to be the 32nd President of this country. The California Delegation under Senator McAdoo broke the deadlock between Roosevelt and former New York Governor Al Smith, and became prominent allies of the Roosevelt forces.

Subsequently, in 1937, after an extended period of dating, Wally and Marjorie were married in a Chapel at the Mare Island Navy Yard near Vallejo. I was "Best Man" for my brother and Marjorie's sister was her "Matron of Honor". Wally subsequently opened his own law office in Oakland and has a successful law practice and subsequently had two children, Marjorie Ann, who was born with a condition that required her to be hospitalized from birth, and Wallace Richard. And now, as I am in the process of writing this, I am aware that the reason I have undertaken this chore is because the Wallace Richard, who we have all known as "Rick", and who was to perform this task, died of a heart attack a few days ago at sixty years of age. May God have mercy on him! All of us who knew him will remember him with fondness and respect. Both his parents preceded him in death, his father in 1978 and his mother in 1999.

Muriel