Obituary of Jennie De Renzo

Jennie DeRenzo passed peacefully away in the early hours of December 2nd. Jennie had lived at the same home in Santa Cruz for over 50 years. She was born in Charleston, West Virginia on June 29, 1927 to Morris Leftwich Burke and Maude Irene Hunt. At 15 she got on a train to join her brother in Portland, Oregon to work as an arc welder in the shipyards. There she met Jamie Alexander, they were married and they had one son, now known as Mike Epperson. They were divorced and Jennie came to the Soquel area where she worked as a waitress in a restaurant which later became known as Garbini's. There she met Don Epperson and together they started a furniture business. In 1952 they built a building on a lonely stretch of road near Soquel called 41st Avenue. When deciding what to call the store, Jennie said to Don, "Everyone knows you're crazy, why don't we call it Daffy Don's", from there began a partnership that lasted for nearly 50 years through divorce and remarriage by both Don and Jennie. They later changed the name of the store to Casa Villa Furniture as funny names had gone out of style. Jennie later married Sandy DeRenzo and did some adventuresome travel. Switzerland was their favorite travel; however, a trip on the Orient Express was the highlight of their travels together. While married to Sandy some other adventures included part owner in the Sail Inn and a lumber yard. She took up an interest in golf and quickly became partners with a group called the Aptos Seagulls. Trophies line her bookcase expounding their dominance on the golf course. One of Jennie's prized possessions is her "hole-in-one" certificate. Jennie was well known around town for telling the best jokes and beating your pants off at shuffle board or dice. Jennie is survived by her son, Mike Epperson of Scotts Valley, step daughter Linda McPherson of Pasatiempo, sister Josie Flournoy of Capitola, granddaughter Sara Epperson of New Zealand, granddaughter Rachel Epperson at the University of Oregon and several loving nieces and their families. A funeral service will be held at 3:00 PM Sunday, December 11th, at Benito & Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel, 1050 Cayuga Street, Santa Cruz. If you are a Santa Cruz resident, Jennie asks that instead of flowers you buy yourself a drink at your favorite watering hole, or some of hers, Severino's, The Point or JJ's Saloon.