Obituary of Ada Tanner Jaquet

Ada Charlotte Thomas Tanner Hewitt Jaquet, age 100, of Santa Cruz, CA, passed away September 16, 2012. She was born August 17,1912, in Highland Park, Illinois to Harry and Bertha Thomas. Ada grew up in Chicago, and was a 1933 graduate of the National College of Education in Evanston, Illinois; she taught elementary school for a few years before marriage to Dr. Eugene S. Tanner. For many years she was a resident of Wooster, OH; after raising her four children, in 1971 she earned her Masters Degree in Fine Arts from the College of Wooster. A life long lover of the arts, she taught piano for 55 years of her life wherever she resided. She played percussion with the Wooster Symphony, appeared in several theatrical productions at the College of Wooster, and directed several children's choirs. She was a reporter for the Wooster Daily Record and the Chautauqua (NY) Daily, and her poetry was published in various independent publications. She was a life-long member of the Presbyterian Church where over the years she served as a Sunday school teacher, children's choir director, adult choir member, and also as organist during the years of her retirement in Brownsville, Texas. She also enjoyed traveling in her retirement with her husband Felix: throughout the United States, including Alaska, and Europe. In her final years in Santa Cruz she loved nothing better than painting water colors in her distinctive style in the classes at Driftwood HealthCare and was proud to have them displayed in both her room and the hallways of the facility. Ada was preceded in death by her first husband of 35 years, Dr. Eugene S. Tanner, in 1970; her second husband, Roy Hewitt in 1975; her son, John E. Tanner in 1994; her third husband of 28 years, Felix Jaquet in 2008, and her brother, Ashley C. Thomas, in 2011. Ada is survived by her sister-in-law, Eleanor Thomas, of Searcy, Arkansas; daughters Joanne Tanner (Charles Ernest) of Santa Cruz, CA, Jane Malin (David Malin), of Houston, TX, and Julia Tanner of Nashville, TN; and stepchildren Mary Jaquet Metz, Ray Jaquet and Larry Jaquet of Wayne County, OH. Grandchildren are Duncan Cooper (San Francisco, CA) Rachael Tanner-Smith (Nashville, TN), Emily Tanner-Smith (Nashville , TN), and Jennifer Malin (Austin, TX.). A private memorial service will be held for family members. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice of Santa Cruz County, 940 Disc Drive, Scotts Valley 95066; or Opportunity Grants of the Music Teachers Association of Santa Cruz County, checks payable to SCCMTAC c/o Carol Panofsky, Treasurer, 131 Cave Gulch, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.