Obituary of Theo C Giggy

Theo Giggy died peacefully in her Santa Cruz home February 21, 2013. She was 95 years old. Her life was long, healthy, and full of love each day. Theo was born November 10, 1917 in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. She grew up in a time where "mountain folk" made their own soap from ashes, used an ice-box to keep their food cold, children killed their chickens for dinner, and everyone used outhouses. She loved telling stories about her youth because even though times were hard "they didn't know it." She loved her brothers Kyle and Joe and her sister Irene dearly. She admired her mom, Iva, for her love for books and often shared "that our house was never very clean because mom could usually be found hidden away with a book." Theo moved to Greenfield, MO, to go to high school because her family didn't have one near their house. At the age of 17 she became a teacher in a one room school house teaching kids in kindergarden through 8th grades. She married Frederick Giggy on January 7th, 1936 and remained married for 65 years, until his death in 2001. When they got married, they moved from Missouri to California, where they arrived with almost no gas and one dollar in their pocket. They stopped many times on their way to California and picked fruit to earn enough money to get here. First seeing the ocean is a moment Theo loved to recall. She fell in love with the ocean and never moved more than a few blocks away from it again. Her mother's love for books was passed down to Theo who worked as a reference librarian at the Santa Cruz County Library for over 25 years. She worked there before the computer age, when people would call the reference librarians for answers to their tough questions. She thrived at her job, soaking in as much knowledge as she could, each day. She emphasized to her grandchildren how important it is to find a job you truly love. Theo worked long hours and raised her two young children Carole and David Giggy while Fred was in the Army. The three of them shared a bond that only the most fortunate experience. Theo was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church of Santa Cruz where she found peace, strength, and friendship. She was an avid gardener until well into her eighties, a love she passed onto her daughter and granddaughters. She took walks almost every day of her life, collecting coins she would find on the ground along the way, with her best friend Betty Halterman. Theo exemplified strength, class, and beauty in every part of her life. She adored her family and loved them unconditionally. Her greatest sadness was to be preceded in death by so many she loved, especially her daughter Carole. Theo is survived by her son David Giggy of Santa Cruz, her grandchildren Chris Giggy of Santa Cruz, Monica Grodin of Campell, and Mary Thomas Pullen of Santa Cruz, her grandsons-in-law Michael Grodin and Ed Pullen, and four great grandchildren Cliff Grodin, Scott Grodin, Hannah Thomas Pullen and Alena Thomas Pullen. Services will be held Sunday, March 10th at 2:00 pm at Oakwood Memorial Chapel 3301 Paul Sweet Road, Santa Cruz. A gathering for family and friends will be held immediately afterwards. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Santa Cruz Public Library, 224 Church Street, Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060.