Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 11, 2012

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, February 11, 2012 

REMEMBRANCE

THIS LADY NEEDS OUR HELP

Friends seek community support for Sonia Kosker

VIRGINIA ARLENE TREDER

 Virginia Arlene Treder peacefully passed 
away, with family by her side, in her home 
in Ventura, CA in the early morning of 
February 2, 2012. Virginia, born April 4, 
1921, was 90 years old and succumbed as a 
result of pancreatic cancer. She jubilantly 
rejoins her husband, Bill Treder, who passed 
away six years ago. As a young woman, 
Virginia attracted the attention of many 
suitors but found true love with William 
Treder. Virginia and Bill were married 
on July 12, 1941 and enjoyed 64 years of 
marriage. They established their home in 
Sierra Madre, California personally building 
their home together from the ground up. 
They had 3 sons, 1 daughter, 8 grandchildren, 
and 6 great-grandchildren with a 7th on the 
way. She is survived by her four children 
and their spouses (William and Betty Treder, 
Robert Treder and Rose Calderon, Jon and 
Lori Treder, and Kerry Lynn Treder Ellison 
and Matt Ellison), her grandchildren (Jenna 
Phillips, Michael Treder, Kelly Treder, Wes 
Treder, Jacob Treder, Ryan Avila, Jamie 
Lynn Avila, and Linsey Avila) and her great 
grandchildren (Kennedy, Piper, Aiden, and 
Caleb Phillips and Serafina and Ahna Treder). 
In the last 6 years of her life, Bill and Virginia’s 
black Labrador, Magie, was her constant and 
loyal companion. Virginia was very proud 
of her early years growing up on a farm in 
Mason City, Nebraska with her brother, 
Max, and parents, Carrie and William Jones. 
Virginia attended elementary and high 
school in Mason City. Being a gifted student, 
she graduated a year early and earned a college scholarship. 
Knowing she was moving to California to be with her family 
who had already relocated there, she discreetly and selflessly 
gave up her scholarship so that her best friend, Alice, could 
attend college to become a school teacher. Virginia shared 
many, many stories of her farm life that provided countless 
hours of entertainment to her children and grandchildren. 
She wrote two detailed books to hand down the family 
history to her children and grandchildren; one focusing on 
her early farm life and the other chronicling her life and that 
of her family after leaving the farm as a result of the Great 
Depression and Dust Bowl. Once settled in Sierra Madre, 
she and Bill became active members of Bethany Church 
where Virginia volunteered as the Sunday school secretary 
for 36 years and was employed as the church secretary for 16 
years. How she managed to be a caring and doting wife and 
mother, a dedicated and inspiring Sunday school secretary, 
and church secretary extraordinaire is a testament to her 
deep and abiding work ethic and love of family, friends, and 
God. Virginia was known to many as an exceptionally good 
cook and baker. It was not uncommon for friends to drive for many miles just to take part in her famous 
breakfast of buttermilk pancakes. Her children’s friends always seemed to show up at breakfast and 
dinner time at the Treder household even well into adulthood. She was also a gifted poet who wrote 
many beautiful verses to Bill while he served in the US Navy and funny witty ones for her children and 
grandchildren on occasions of Christmas, birthdays and graduations. Virginia traveled around the 
world with Bill or her close friend, Imogene. She would often comment that the only continent she had 
not been on was Antarctica. Virginia was a very doting grandmother and spent many summers hosting 
her grandkids at either their Sierra Madre home or for several weeks at their Utah cabin. She loved 
playing card games and talking in pig Latin with her grandkids. Bill and Virginia loved the outdoors 
and family vacations often included camping, hunting, and fishing. In 2003 they moved to Atascadero 
to a lovely home on five acres to be near their son Jon, his wife, Lori and their grandsons, Wes and Jake 
and their families. The big living room window provided a bucolic view of rolling hills, big oak trees, 
roaming cattle, baby calves, birds, and various wildlife. Virginia enjoyed gazing out that window and 
reminiscing of her early farm life. Caregivers, Violet Nunes and Susie Johansen, were instrumental in 
supporting Virginia during her last months in Atascadero. In summer 2011, she moved to Ventura. 
There she could spend more time with her daughter, Kerry, Kerry’s husband, Matt, her closest friend, 
Sue Ellison, granddaughters, Jamie Lynn and Linsey and be closer to her other granddaughter, Jenna 
and her family. During the last weeks of her life, Virginia’s children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, 
and many friends gathered and filled her home with much love and laughter, affection, singing, piano 
playing, karaoke, sharing favorite family stories, cooking, watching sunsets, and prayer. Following her 
diagnosis, Virginia was tenderly and devotedly cared for by her granddaughter, Jamie Lynn Avila, Dr. 
Mike Datlow and staff, Hospice Assisted Home Living, and nursing caregivers: Cherry Rose Gomez, 
Pat Cunningham, and Angie Garcia. They provided outstanding care as expressed in their very special 
and deep interest in Virginia’s well being and comfort. Virginia loved her family and friends, seemingly 
happiest when she was in the midst of them. Her caring love, generosity, joyful attitude, quick wit, 
committed work ethic, and focus on family, friends, and God will be memories we hold dear. 

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to Noon at Chapel of the Roses, 3450 El Camino Real, Atascadero, 
CA. A Graveside Services will follow at Santa Margarita Cemetery in Santa Margarita, CA at 2:00 p.m. 

I lieu of flowers you may donate in Virginia’s name to your local Hospice.

Please sign the guest book at chapel-cares.com


You may recognize her face if you have been in Taylor’s Meats in the past six years. She 
is Sonia Kosker and has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.

Sonia is the mother of two girls and has no medical insurance. She is no longer able to 
work and needs our help.

If you would like to make a donation, please stop by Taylor’s Meat Market today.

Your love, prayers and generosity are greatly appreciated.

Friends of Sonia Kosker. 


DEVELOPER REQUESTS COUNCIL 
TO PUT KENSINGTON PROJECT ON 
NOVEMBER BALLOT

By Bill Coburn

Fountain Square West, LLC (FSW), developer 
of the proposed Kensington Assisted Living 
project at the site of the former Skilled Nursing 
Facility, has sent a letter to the City Council requesting 
that the Council pass a resolution that: 

“Following completion of the review by the 
Planning Commission, and approval by the 
City Council, the KENSINGTON ASSISTED 
LIVING Project be placed on the November 
2012 ballot to be voted upon by the citizens of 
Sierra Madre.”

 

The letter states that FSW is “pleased that our 
proposal to build a premier assisted living 
project in Sierra Madre on the site of the former 
skilled nursing facility is moving forward 
to the formal public review process,” and that 
“We welcome the Planning Commission’s open 
review process.”

 

FSW goes on to say they believe their project is 
good for Sierra Madre because it “will allow a 
growing number of frail and memory impaired 
seniors to remain in a neighborhood where they 
can be close to their family and loved ones,” and 
that they have “the experience and have demonstrated 
quality results in providing for residents’ 
care, comfort, security, and convenience in a 
first class physical setting.”

 

The Kensington project is on the agenda for the 
Feb. 16th Planning Commission meeting, to be 
held in City Hall at 7pm. The letter from FSW 
discusses their belief that their project does not 
exceed the Measure V limit of 13 units per acre, 
because the units in their project do not have 
kitchens. 

Some cities require a kitchen in order to have 
a unit be counted as a dwelling unit. City staff 
had presented a proposed clarification to the 
Commission on the Sierra Madre definition of 
a dwelling unit, which is “one or more rooms 
in a building designed and intended to be used 
as living quarters by one person or a family”. 
However, the Commission did not recommend 
that the proposed clarification be approved by 
the City Council, declining to further define or 
clarify the definition.

 

In its letter, Kensington states that “Assisted 
Living Projects such as ours do not fit the 
traditional definition of “dwelling units” and 
are more frequently evaluated in California 
(and other states) as an “institutional 
use”. This is primarily because the building is 
licensed by California (and other states) as a 
health care facility (“Residential Care for the 
Elderly” in California). In addition, resident 
suites are comfortably configured with a bedroom 
and a bathroom. There are no kitchens, 
cook tops, or ovens in the individual suites 
as are traditionally found in a “dwelling unit”. 
In addition to creating a safer environment, this 
Project will have a state-of-the-art commercial 
kitchen from which all resident meals will be 
prepared and catered. Other areas typically 
found in a “dwelling unit” such as a dining 
room, living room, TV or activity room, den, or 
other living spaces will be common areas and 
shared by all the residents.”

 

A Council member would have to agendize the 
item for a future meeting, which could be done 
as early as the next Council meeting, to be held 
on Tuesday, Feb. 14. A resolution such as FSW 
proposes could then be discussed as early as 
Feb. 28th.

Sierra Madre Police Blotter

FRIENDS OF THE SIERRA 
MADRE LIBRARY 42ND 

ANNUAL WINE TASTING 

 A splendid way to show your sweetheart your 
love is with a visit to the annual Friends of the 
Sierra Madre Library Wine Tasting. The event is 
being held on Sunday, February 12, from 2:00-
5:00PM at Alverno Villa, 675 W. Highland Ave., 
Sierra Madre, just in time for Valentine’s Day. 
Picture yourselves strolling leisurely through 
the Alverno Villa gardens while enjoying fine 
wine and delectable hors d’oeuvres and desserts. 
Adding to the romantic atmosphere will be live 
music performed by Steve Vargas, The Mellow 
Ds, and Sudbury and Ramos. For your entertainment, 
magicians from the Magic Castle will 
perform sleights of hand.

 You can even find the perfect souvenir of a lovely 
afternoon at our Silent Auction where you’ll 
have an opportunity to bid on such exceptional 
items as jewelry, wine tastings and tours, theater 
tickets, gourmet dinners, art work, Turf Club at 
Santa Anita, Disneyland tickets, Rose Parade 
tickets, wine fridge, Temecula B&B, children's 
birthday party at the Sierra Madre Fire Department, 
Universal Studios tour, personal chef 
dinner for 6, SMPD ride along, and fine wines. 
In addition to the auction, there will be an opportunity 
drawing for a weekend wine tasting in 
Paso Robles, a prize valued at more than $1,000 
(ticket holders need not be present to win)

 If you wish to purchase tickets in advance, tickets 
to the Wine Tasting are $60 and tickets for 
the drawing are $5 each. Both can be purchased 
at the Sierra Madre Library, 440 W. Sierra Madre 
Blvd., Sierra Madre (telephone 626 355-7186) or 
you can purchase tickets at the door. Proceeds 
from the Wine Tasting benefit the resources and 
programs of the Sierra Madre Library.

During the week of Sunday, January 29, to Saturday 
February 4, the Sierra Madre Police Department 
responded to approximately 229 calls for service. See 
crimereports.com for updated information. 

Sunday, January 29th:

12:48 AM- Warrant/Outside/Criminal, 3200 
blk. E. Foothill Blvd. An officer stopped a 25-
year old Pasadena motorist for a Vehicle Code 
violation. Further investigation revealed that 
the driver had $126,000 in warrants for his arrest 
through the Pasadena Police Department. The 
driver was arrested and transported to Pasadena 
Police Department Jail. 

E. Foothill Blvd. 10:27 AM-Use of Another’s 
Personal Identification to Obtain Credit/Etc. 
This incident involves the unauthorized use of the 
victim’s credit/debit card number obtained from 
the Valero gas station.

Monday, January 30th:

7:02 PM- Use of Another’s Personal Identification 
to Obtain Credit/Etc. This incident involves the 
unauthorized use of the victim’s credit/debit card 
number obtained from the Valero gas station.

8:19 PM- Attempted Residential Burglary, 500 
blk. Ramona Ave. This case involves an unknown 
suspect(s) attempting to gain entry into a house by 
removing the window screen. No entry was made 
inside the house.

Wednesday, January 31st:

9:20 AM- Use of Another’s Personal Identification 
to Obtain Credit/Etc. This incident involves the 
unauthorized use of the victim’s credit/debit card 
number obtained from the Valero gas station.

1:55 PM- Warrant/Outside/Criminal, Fairview 
Ave and Sierra Keys Dr. This incident involves 
a suspicious suspect being contacted. Further 
investigation revealed that the subject had two 
outstanding warrants for his arrest. The 25-year 
old Sierra Madre resident was transported to 
Pasadena Police Department Jail.

5:22 PM- Petty Theft, 300 blk. N. Sunnyside Ave. 
This case involves an unlocked bicycle stolen from 
the residence. 

Thursday, February 2nd:

12:04 PM- Suspicious Circumstances, 10 blk. S. 
Michillinda Ave. This case involves a house that 
is under construction, where a window was found 
broken and both front and rear dead bolt doors 
were found open. It appeared that no entry was 
made into the house. 

1:09 PM- Tampering/Injuring Vehicle or 
Contents, 400 blk. North Michillinda Ave. This 
case involves an unknown suspect(s) scratching a 
mark on the victim’s car.

4:21 PM- Use of Another’s Personal Identification 
to Obtain Credit/Etc. This incident involves the 
unauthorized use of the victim’s social security 
number. 

Friday, February 3rd:

11:49 PM- Use of Another’s Personal 
Identification to Obtain Credit/Etc. This 
incident involves the unauthorized use of the 
victim’s credit/debit card number obtained from 
the Valero gas station.

4:25 PM- Use of Another’s Personal Identification 
to Obtain Credit/Etc. This incident involves the 
unauthorized use of the victim’s credit/debit card 
number obtained from the Valero gas station.

Saturday, February 4th:

1:51 AM- Warrant/Outside/Traffic, 400 blk. E. 
Sierra Madre Blvd. An officer contacted a 22-year 
old Sierra Madre resident for noise disturbance. 
Further investigation revealed that the suspect had 
a $30,000 warrant and was transported to Arcadia 
Police Department.

11:41 PM- Warrant/Outside/Traffic, 210 freeway 
and Rosemead Blvd. An officer stopped a 33-
year old Pasadena motorist for a Vehicle Code 
violation. Further investigation revealed that 
both vehicle occupants had warrants. Both from 
Pasadena, and were cited and released in the field. 

WANNA WATCH A WHALE?

Whale Watching Community 
Excursion

Join the Community and Personnel 
Services Department for its annual 
Whale Watching excursion on 
Saturday, March 3, 2012. Enjoy a 
two and a half hour narrated tour 
by Aquarium of the Pacific staff, 
charter boat with a two level viewing 
deck, and transportation to and from 
Long Beach. Snacks are available for purchase on the boat, or lunches can be 
brought aboard. For more information call 626-355-5278.

Date: Saturday, March 3, 2012

Time: 10:00am - 3:30pm

Cost: $28.00 per person

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2012

Transportation leaves from the Community Recreation Center, 611 E. Sierra Madre 
Blvd., Sierra Madre, CA 91024.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com