Our beloved mother Marie Christine Willson, age 82, passed away December 29, 2013, at her home near Hot Springs, SD, around what she enjoyed the most, her animals. Marie was born March 18, 1931, at Ft. Bragg, CA, to Manuel and Josephine (Madera) Mello. She and her late husband, William Willson had a very successful bike parts store that was located in San Jose California for many years named Willson Bike Parts. Her grandson Michael Higgins, and her granddaughter Cheri McFarland, which she enjoyed having over, would help during most of the summers and learned how to run the store and build bikes. Marie and her family would often go camping and fishing, which was a favorite hobby of hers. She loved to live near the waters and would fish pretty much everyday. Marie, living in the Portuguese heritage, loved to cook and entertain with her family and friends. When Marie was young, she participated in the Portuguese Parade that was located in her birth town of Fort Bragg, CA. Then years later, her daughters followed her footsteps and continued the family tradition and were queens and princesses in the parade, which made her very proud. When her children were young, Marie had volunteered as a Brownie Leader in Santa Rosa, CA, for a few years and joined the PTA at the local elementary school where her children attended.

Marie is survived by her daughters, Antoinette Christine Chiesa of Spring Creek NV; Roxann Brink of San Jose, CA; Mary Diane Everitt of Rockport, TX; son, Joseph Mario Chiesa, Jr. of Santa Rosa, CA; brothers, Manuel 'Mannie' Mello of Hot Springs; Donny (Elaine) Mello of Needles, CA; Robert Mello of Needles, CA; sister, Sharon (Robert) Oxenham of Ocean Shore, WA; half-sister, Tina Mello of Bakersfield, CA; nephew, Joey Richard Young, Jr. of Spring Creek, NV; seven grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. She has lots of nieces and nephews.

Marie is now rejoicing with God and her late husband, William Willson. Her daughter, Katherine Jane Del Nero, sisters and brother, Beverly Josephine (Bev) Jones, Lorraine Sanders, and Earnest Mello. You can see she had quite the family and they were and are very close.

Memorial services will be held at a later date at Ft. Bragg, CA. You may contact daughter at chiesa_a08@yahoo.com for more information or questions on the services. That is chiesa underscore a08@yahoo.com.

Arrangements have been placed in the care of McColley's Chapels of the Hills in Hot Springs, SD. Written condolences may be made at www.mccolleyschapels.com.