Julia Bettinelli Jensen

JULIA BETTINELLI JENSEN, age 99, passed away peacefully and unexpectedly on Feb. 26, 2018, surrounded by her loving family. Julia was a native of Petaluma, born Dec. 6, 1918, and a member of a prominent local family.  She was the last survivor of 17 children of Corina and Antonio Bettinelli.  She was a graduate of Petaluma High School.  One of her lifelong memories was being a member of the Native Daughters of the Golden West Drill Team that marched across the Golden Gate Bridge on its opening day, May 27, 1937. Julia met Ralph Jensen, the love of her life, in high school, married him in 1944, and enjoyed 51 years of married life.  After retirement they found the time to travel and explored much of California with their trailer.  Julia worked as a bookkeeper for various Petaluma businesses including A.F. Tomasini Hardware, Tomasini Plumbing, Arolo Co., and Henris Roofing.  Her greatest passion for the past 40+ years had been quilting, and she was an artist with a quilting needle.  Every part of her quilts was done by hand, not by machine, though even to a trained eye they looked like machine stitches.  She was a founding and honorary member of the Petaluma Quilt Guild.  She was also a member of the Thursday Threads Quilting Group, and Senior Center-Monday Lucchesi Quilters. Time spent with family and friends provided Julia with great joy.  Gardening and flowers were another source of enjoyment to her.  There was always a large bouquet of flowers to be found on the mantle in her house, and blooming all around the yard.  Even in her late 90's, Julia's bookkeeping and work with numbers were still important to her, whether balancing the checkbook, playing Sudoku, or doing crossword puzzles. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Jensen, 23 years ago.  She is also preceded by her MANY brothers and sisters of the Bettinelli Clan: Paul (Vivian), Laurence (Loretta), Genevieve, Alvin (Agnes), Olympio aka. Jack (Edith), Carrie (Manuel) Moreda, Irene (Pete) Peters, Alma (Alvin) Moretti, Alfred (Florence), Lester (Margaret), Josephine (Frenchy/Tim) Mazza/Langi, Edwin aka. Mike (Dorothy), Eleanor (Alex) Pomi, Evelyn (Frank) Pomi, Walter aka. Shorty (Belle). She is survived by her loving children, Judy (Richard) Harm and Keith Jensen.  She was the proud grandmother of Denise (Darren) Reyes and Melanie (Eric) Tassone, and the adoring great-grandmother of Brandon and Alyssa Reyes, and Abigail and Megan Tassone.  Her grandkids have nothing but many, many sweet lifelong memories of the time spent with grandma as they were growing up. Known by everyone to have quick wit and playful sense of humor, the tradition of fun, positive attitude, and love will continue through those who loved her and knew her best.  Her kindness and ability to find the simplest pleasures in life are a great example that her family will continue to remember and live by. In following her wishes, there will be a private service.  A gathering for a celebration of life will follow in the near future.