NEWS & NOTESFROM THE

COLMA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION Founded 1993

1500 Hillside Boulevard, Colma, California 94014

(650) 757-1676

I April, May, June 2016

CHA President's Messa2:e

Spring is here already. Please put our SecondQuarterly meeting, Tuesday, April 26th at 6:30 PMon your calendar. This is an important meeting aswe will have election for two seats on our board.These board members will serve for three years

beginning July 26, 2016. Ed Graham and RichardRocchetta are up for re-election. We all know theirdedication and invaluable contributions over past yearsand are grateful that they are willing to continue toserve on the board. The Board recommends them

wholeheartedly. The ballot is enclosed and there is aplace for a write-in candidate if you so choose. Pleasemail in your ballot to arrive by April 26th or bringit with you to the meeting.

We are always interested in hearing from individualswho would like to be involved in the Association. We

welcome letters of intent from anyone interested inserving on the Board.

Our speaker at this meeting is Helen Fisicaro,Colma's Vice-Mayor. She will be sharing with us thehistory and current status of Colma Creek. Thiswaterway comes down off San Bruno Mountain andwinds its way down to South San Francisco and intothe bay. It is often hidden under and behind urbandevelopment; yet it still serves the communities itflows through. A buffet will follow. We appreciateadditions to our refreshments and we always welcomegifts for the drawings held at our meeting.

Looking back over the past three months, we havebeen very busy. Our February Quarterly Meeting was

co1mahist@sbcg10bal.netwww.colmahistory.org

Newsletter #113

well attended with Owen Molloy speaking aboutfamily stories and the history of Molloy's Tavern.

Colma was featured in a New York Times story onFebruary 6th• "Where San Francisco's Dead Live" ranon the first page of the Sports Section the day beforethe Super Bowl! We got calls from friends far andnear.

We participated in San Francisco History Days atthe Old Mint on March 6-7. Richard Rocchetta and Ed

Graham organized the exhibit. It was well received bythe many visitors to this popular event.

Our 11 th Annual "Tea of Many Themes" on March1ih was once again a great success. Please read moreabout that later in this newsletter.

Later on in March we were visited by a Germannews network that was creating a program on Colmathat will be aired in Germany this fall. And currentlyColma is being featured in a short documentarycreated by San Francisco State film class students.

Coming up is our annual garage sale on April23rd from 8:30 AM to 5 PM. This is held in

conjunction with the Colma's town wide garage sale.So put this on your calendar and have fun shopping!We welcome donations of items to sell at our garage

sale. Last year we took in $1188 to support themuseum.

Newsletter by Email some of you havereceived this issue as a PDF file. Pros: Pictures

in color. Save on postage. Less paper. Send usyour email addresscolmahist@sbcglobal.net

Sue Hudson & Maureen O'Connor, Tea Co-Chairs

11th Annual "Tea of Manv Themes"

We had a lovely afternoon with friends seatedaround 18 beautiful tables on March 12th at the Colma

Community Center. Sue Hudson & MaureenO'Connor were the Co-Chairs and so many peoplehelped create this popular event. We were sold out.We enjoyed fruit salad, sandwiches, desserts, tea andgood company.

Our hostesses and their themes were: Judy Hnilo"No Two Cats Are Alike;" Christine Schenone "I LoveWatermelons;" Helen Fisicaro "Berry Berry Good;"Sister Shirley Garibaldi & Trish Owen "Springtime inParis;" Crystal Lee (Lucky Chances) "Moulin Rouge;"Peggy Sue Lopez-Mendoza & Teresa Proano "A MiniTea;" Anna Marie Chavez-Rey "Cupcakes andChampagne;" Nancy Schenone & Perky Ramroth"Pretty Poinsettias;" Noralyn Wolf "Butterflies inBloom;" Bianca & Catherine Caserza "MomentsCherished, Moments to Celebrate;" CathyLagomarsino & Diana Ferrari "For the Birds;" PattySimpson & Sandra Bolds "Colma Violets;" MarieBrizuela "A Spooky Tea;" Elaine Maynard "By theSea;" Kathleen Garrett "Count Your Blessings;"Cynthia Silva "Joy to the World;" Patty Simpson "ATribute to Bea Jackson;" and Georgette Sarles "SpringFling."

Our business sponsors were: Commerce HoldingCompany (Greek Orthodox & Greenlawn cemeteries);Cypress Lawn Cemetery; Deborah Reed Catering;First National Bank of Northern California; V. Fontana& Company (Monuments); Lucky Chances; PeninsulaReflections Memory Care; Republic Services (AlliedWaste); Serbian Cemetery; and South SF HistoricalSociety Tea Committee. Business supporters were:Sweet Dreams Bakery and Trader Joe's SSF.

(Continued on page 3)

Program ChairsGarage Sale ChairWebsite Manager

PresidentVice President

SecretaryTreasurerMemberMemberMemberMemberPresident EmeritaTreasurer Emerita

Bunny Gillespie;Vaughn & Gloriann Jones

Susanna Hnilo

Connie O'LearyDocents

Margy Baldwin, Sandra Bolds, Jason Deguzman, RonDoyle, Ed Graham, Earl Harper, Esmeralda Harper,Pat Hatfield, Dorothy Hillman, Karen Meyers,Maureen O'Connor, Michael Rocchetta, RichardRocchettaNewsletter Staff

Iris Beilan, Marianne PetroniMuseum Hours

Tuesday through Sunday - 10 AM to 3 PMMondays - ClosedOuarterly Meetings2nd Sunday in February ----------- 2 PMLast Tuesday in April ------------ 6:30 PMJuly 26th ---- Annual birthday (Weekends at 2 PM &weeknights at 6:30 PM)Last Tuesday in October -------- 6:30 PMHe"> With Our MeetingsWe appreciate additions to our refreshments and wewelcome gifts for the drawings held at our meetings.Questions? Call the Museum (650) 757-1676.Tours of Our CemeteriesThe Colma Historical Association gives cemetery

tours on request Tuesday-Sunday. A donation for thetour is appreciated. Call to reserve a tour date-(650) 757-1676.

Richard Rocchetta

Diana Co IvinPat HatfieldSue Hudson

Board of DirectorsMaureen 0' ConnorEdward GrahamRichard Rocchetta

Margy BaldwinFrank Maffei

Esmeralda HarperAlice LetcavageMichael RocchettaPat Hatfield

Dorothy HillmanCommittee ChairsMaureen O'Connor Newsletter Editor,

Dinner Chair, Tea Co-ChairMuseum & OfficeManagerMembership ChairTour Coordinator

Hospitality ChairTea Co-Chair

Tea Operations Coordinators were Pat Hatfield andRichard Rocchetta. Helen Fisicaro and Carol Tanzi

created the Silent Auction and Drawing Baskets. DianaColvin was Kitchen Coordinator; Ann Allen wasSandwich Making Coordinator; Denise Kelly wasTable Server Coordinator; and our supporting helperswere Michael Rocchetta, Esmeralda Harper, MarySalas, Gonzala Estrada, Dixie Bee and Paul Shimer,Darlene Washington, Earl Harper, Judith Christensen,Dana Smith, and Susanna Hnilo. Students from MercyHigh School San Francisco and Westmoor HighSchool Future Business Leaders of America were tableservers and kitchen assistants. We could not have donethis without our entire "Tea Team." Profit: $9416.00.

The night before - all set up and ready.

Our table servers getting ready to go.

San Bruno Mountain andEdward J. Bacciocco~Jr.~ (1935-1991)

Submitted by Marianne PetroniEdward Bacciocco was the architect of San

Bruno Mountain's future and how it came to be

today, a park with spectacular views and trails forall to enjoy.

For almost ten years acrimony hung over themountain like a thick fog. Land developers andpreservationists were at bitter odds. It was Mr.Bacciocco who brought them together. Under hisextraordinary leadership and unwavering efforts,he arbitrated both sides, showing that there werehonorable people with legitimate concerns. Theresult was the cooperative crafting of the SanBruno Mountain Habitat Conservation Plan. The

Conservation Plan, developed and implemented in1983, stands as a model for others to follow. It wasforged by citizens from the four surrounding cities,including the Town of Colma, along with state andfederal authorities and land developers. The SanBruno Mountain plan brought people together andenabled them to live in harmony in naturalsurroundings that we appreciate today.

Today San Bruno Mountain is a landmark oflocal and regional significance, a unique spacesurrounded by urban development. There arealmost three thousand acres of wild open spacewith flora and fauna that inhabit the area and are

protected and provided for.Ed Bacciocco was a fourth generation San

Franciscan. He was a professor at USF and atStanford University. He served on the San MateoCounty Board of Supervisors for eight years. Hedied from a lengthy illness in 1991. Theauditorium in San Carlos of the San Mateo CountyTransit District's Administration Office is named

after him as well as a picnic area in the park on SanBruno Mountain. The park is located alongGuadalupe Canyon Road. There is informationabout Mr. Bacciocco, the flora, fauna and the manytrails at the kiosk entrance.

The late Congressman Tom Lantos enteredmuch of the above in the Congressional Record.

Meet Our Volunteer - Karen Mevers

Karen Meyers loves working at the Museum as aDocent on Saturday mornings. "Every visitor is a guestand this is a place for people of all ages. I love sharinghistory and laughter with our guests." Karen started asa Docent in May 2012. When not hosting visitors, shehelps with freshening exhibits, filing historical papers,helping with office work, and putting up seasonaldecorations. Born in Palo Alto, she grew up in theGold Country and her parents fostered in her a love ofhistory. She first "met" Colma in 1978 when hergrandfather, a native San Franciscan, was buried inOlivet Cemetery. Ten years later she moved to DalyCity to be near "the world's best backyard - Colma."Prior to that she was a funeral service worker in heruncle's funeral home in Auburn. In Colma she workedat Eternal Home Cemetery for 3 lIz years. Now retired,she has time to volunteer with CHA. Karen embraces

this work enthusiastically. She chuckles, "It IS great tobe alive in Colma."

FUTURE EVENTS

April 8-9, Fri-Sat, 9-4. Pacifica Historical SocietyRummage Sale. 1850 Francisco Blvd. Pacifica.

April 23, Saturday, 8:30 AM-5 PM, CHA AnnualGarage Sale. Colma Historical Museum. There willbe town wide garage sales that day. We will have alist of homes with sales available.

April 26, Tuesday, 6:30 PM, CHA 2nd Quarterlymeeting. Colma Historical Museum. Boardelections. Program: Colma Creek - Yesterday andToday by Helen Fisicaro, Colma's Vice-Mayor.

May 1, Sunday, 12-4 PM. Old Woodside Store Day,corner of Tripp Rd. & King's Mountain Rd.,Woodside. "Step back to the 1880s."

May 18, Wednesday, 7:00 PM. History Guild ofDaly City-Colma meeting. 101 Lake Merced Blvd,Daly City, Doelger Center Cafe. Program: TheCow Palace - Yesterday and Today by DianaColvin, Colma's Mayor.

July 26, Tuesday, 6:30 PM. CHA 3rd Quarterlymeeting. Colma Historical Museum. Program:Installation of new Board members & stories ofnotable underground residents.

Cypress Lawn Walking Tours, Lectures. Checkwebsite. www.cvpresslawnherita2efoundation.or2

Recent Gifts to the MuseumRelated to Colma

• JoAnn Bertalucci: Copy of an originalmagazine "Shell Progress," January 1935 withan article titled "City Grown Vegetables"featuring the Angelo Stagnaro family farm inColma.

• Ron Ross: An original receipt issued to Chas.Imporsani by M. & S. Belli & Co. store inColma. Receipt dated July 9, 1906.

• Owen & Margareta Molloy: A 12" x 18" colorphotograph of the Molloy family taken atOwen and Margareta's wedding on November17,2007.

• Ron Wilson: A term paper Mr. Wilsonsubmitted to San Francisco State in 1967 on the

Cresta Ranch (at that time located east ofHillside Blvd. across from Holy CrossCemetery). Included in the gift were two setsof slides showing the ranch buildings in 1967.

Welcome to Our New and Renewin2Members

Business Member - Colma Cremation & FuneralServices, Cypress Golf Driving Range, RepublicServices (Allied Waste), Serbian CemeteryFamily Member - Harry & Irene Aubright, Jen &Sam Carter, Marilyn OlceseIndividual Member - Isela BareIs, Lori BumsLifetime Member - Frances Liston

Senior Member - Donna Becker, Margaret Fasla, TedSimmen

Chinese Burial Traditions

In Chinese tradition springtime (April 2-3 this year)the Pure Brightness Festival or Ching Ming iscelebrated. Graves are cleaned and food, wine, incenseand candles are left at the site for the deceased to use

in their new life. Firecrackers and gongs ward offmalicious spirits. White is the color for the deceased.For the early Chinese in America the final burial wasexhumation and return of their bones to their native

village in China. This practice ended in 1936 with theJapanese invasion of China followed by World War IIand the later closing of China to the Western world.Now most Chinese Americans remain in their new

homeland. (Golden Notes 27:3, Fall 1981. ChineseFuneral Customs. Published by the SacramentoCounty Historical Society.)

Ballot

Election Time is here! Please note theBallot below needs to be comuleted assoon as uossible.

All members are entitled to one vote each. For example, if you have a "family membership", each memberof the family has one vote. If you have a "husband and wife membership" (either regular or senior), you areentitled to two votes. If you are an "individual member" (either regular or senior), you may have only onevote.For your membership category, please check the mailing label on your newsletter.

If vou cannot attend on election nh?:htuleasemail in the ballot below to:

COLMA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION1500 Hillside Blvd.Colma, CA. 94014

*BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY APRIL 26th*

.....................................................................................................................................

(cut here)

Ballot

PLEASE VOTE FOR 2 DIRECTORS OF THE BOARD:

FOREd Graham

Exp. July 2019

Richard RocchettaExp. July 2019

Write in CandidateExp. July 2019 Print name

COLMA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION1500 Hillside BoulevardColma, CA 94014

2nd Quarterlv Meetine:Tuesday, April 26, 20166:30 PM, CHA Museum

CHA's ANNUAL GARAGE SALESaturday, April 23, 20168:30 AM-5 PM, Historical Museum

TO:

A Notable Colma Undereround Resident

Mary Ann Cohen Magnin (1850-1943) sailedwith her family around Cape Horn and settled inOakland in 1875. Her husband, Isaac Magnin, got a

job at Gumps's, and Mary Ann went to work makingbaby clothes, lingerie, and bridal ware for SanFrancisco's high society. Within two years she hadenough clientele to open her own store - I Magnin. Awoman's name on a business enterprise was not yetacceptable!

Mary Ann, born in Holland, was the daughter of aRabbi. She married Isaac at the age of 15 in the greatSynagogue of London. They had eight children. Thegirls were trained in handwork and the boys worked inthe store learning every part of the business.

Mary Ann was a stem taskmaster and her word waslaw. Those who incurred her displeasure were nolonger welcome. Her second son, Joseph, fell in lovewith Charlotte Davis, an employee at I Magnin. Thiswas forbidden! He sold his interest in I Magnin andproceeded to start his own business, the JosephMagnin Department Store. Because he was acompetitor now, she did not talk to him for ten yearsand he never reconciled with his two brothers.

She died at 94 years of age on December 16, 1943 andis buried in the family vault at Home of PeaceCemetery. I Magnin closed in 1995 after being inbusiness for 118 years.

Pat Hatfield, CHA'S President Emerita, went towork at I Magnin in 1946. She remembers standing atattention in a lineup of salespersons before the storeopened for the morning inspection. You had to weardark dresses or skirts and blouses, stockings withseams straight, polished shoes, and have clean handsand hair away from your face. (Shades of Mr.Selfridge!) You were sent home without pay if you didnot meet their standards!