Obituary of Babe Littlejohn

Babe was born in Hollister at the original Hazel Hawkins Hospital on Monterey Street on December 16, 1936. She grew up in Tres Pinos as part of large family with her parents, Martin and Carmen Valdez, and 5 brothers and 3 sisters. She married Jim Littlejohn on July 20th, 1952 and they had 3 children; Jimmy, Sharon and Jarrod. Babe excelled at several different jobs. She worked as a housekeeper for Mrs. Bob Law while Jim was the foreman for the Law Ranch. From there, she worked at Paicines Store and cut apricots at the Slater Ranch. After the kids were grown, she worked in the Cafeteria at the High School for over 18 years. She and Jim also worked at the Elks Lodge and at the Carson River Resort. Babe and Jim loved to travel and spend time with their family and friends. The whole family would follow them at least once a year for the “annual camping trip”. The original trips started in Arroyo Seco and then Hope Valley; roughing it in tents and cooking over an open camp fire and then finally landing at the Carson River Resort in Markleeville, upgrading to cabins. Babe and Jim moved to Elko, Nevada and after a few years moved back a little closer to Hollister to Fallon, Nevada. Finally, they ended up back in Tres Pinos, right where Babe wanted to be and where she was her happiest. She bravely battled cancer for over 5 years and passed away at home surrounded by her loved ones. Babe is survived by her daughter Sharon (Jerry) Marquez; son Jarrod Littlejohn; granddaughter Mandy (Tommy) Redding, granddaughter Melissa (Victor) Miller, grandson Josh Littlejohn; great-grandchildren Sierra, Chloe and Blake Redding; brother Ed (Leona) Valdez; sisters Rose Stephens, Dee Dee Bowden and Pauline Puckett as well as numerous niece and nephews. She was preceded in death by husband Jim Littlejohn; son Jimmy Littlejohn; parents Martin and Carmen Valdez; brothers Martin Valdez, Jim Valdez, Eugene Valdez and Freddy Valdez. Funeral Service will begin at 11:30 a.m. at Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Funeral Home on Saturday, March 25th, 2017. A reception will follow at Paine’s Restaurant, 421 East Street, Hollister. Donations are preferred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to Pacific Cancer Care c/o the mortuary. Interment will be private