Marthe Cella

Obituary Marthe Cella was born February 24, 1911 in Kremlin-Bic?tre, on the outskirts of Paris, France, to Jeanne and Maurice Beaumont, and was the middle of 3 siblings. She died peacefully at home on February 9th, 2 weeks short of her 96th birthday. She was under wonderful care of Creekside Hospice. On April 25, 1932, she married her childhood and only sweetheart, Louis Cella, in Paris. They raised 3 daughters, suffering many hardships during World War II. In April 1954, they emigrated to the US to rejoin eldest daughter Janine, settling in Tacoma, WA and living in an old house with a beautiful view of the Puget Sound. After Louis' death in December 1994, she lived with youngest daughter Evelyne until Evelyne's fight with cancer. Five years ago Marthe moved to Idaho Falls, ID, to live with daughter Josette Maddison and son-in-law David. Having been trained at the Ecole Professionelle in embroidery, Marthe worked as a professional embroiderer in the "haute couture" (high fashion) industry in France. She designed and executed by hand her own beautiful patterns, greatly enjoying working on wedding dresses - one of which won first prize for all of France. In Tacoma she only embroidered for her family, making each one of her daughters an exquisite wedding dress. Besides being devoted to her family, Marthe enjoyed the company of animals; she and Louis had 9 boxer dogs over the years. She lived in Paris through 2 world wars, and had seen many things change in nearly a century, from her father having one of the first radios in the area to watching DVD's, and from transportation by horse and buggy to space shuttles. Her daughters are Janine (Harry) Hopkins of Sierra Vista, AZ, Josette (David) Maddison of Idaho Falls, and Evelyne (Jerry) Armstrong of Tacoma. Marthe has 10 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Louis and daughter Evelyne. A Funeral Mass for her will be celebrated at St. Patrick Catholic Church, on Friday, February 16 2007, at 11:00 am, with entombment in Calvary Cloisters, next to her husband. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to Father Flanagan's Boys Town or The Humane Society.