Rita (Mamasita) Maxine Day Truelock Harper
October of 1932 – December 8, 2024
Rita (Mamasita) Maxine Day Truelock Harper passed away Sunday, December 8, 2024, in her home in Thompson Falls, MT with her loving family present and in spirit, after over a year of battling cancer in her salivary gland. She was 92 years old. Rita was born in October of 1932 in Stockton, California. She was the oldest of two daughters of Hiram and Juanita Day. Her early years were spent on a small ranch between French Camp and Lathrop, California. They had cows, goats, chickens, and a big garden. Gardening and livestock would be in her blood until the end. Her dad wanted more land to farm and ranch, so they moved a few times around Waterloo, Stockton, and Lodi, California. When she was 8 years old, they finally had 10 milking cows, 1,000 hogs, and an orchard of 4 different varieties of cherries. The cherry trees were you pick or we pick. She considered picking a hard job but fun because when she was done picking, she could sit down and enjoy eating some cherries. Soon after, the family’s home burned down from a kitchen stove pipe fire in the attic. They lost everything and had to start over near Clements, California on 180 acres with 20 milking cows and a bull. When she was 12, her dad died from a blood clot in his heart while unloading loose hay into the barn. She was the only one who knew anything about the cows, bull, and 2 workhorses. Her mom worked in the home and with the milking machines and didn’t know how to drive an automobile. Her mom sold the place, and they started over again in Clements, California across the street from a new family that had just moved in from Texas. She met and married her love J.D. Truelock at 16 years old on Christmas Day (his only day off from work) in 1948. Their early years were tough finding work. Jay did any work in construction, ranch hand, and in a feedlot. From 1952 to 1955 they had 3 children, Debbie Truelock Rolleri, Dennis Truelock, and Jerry Truelock. In October of 1958, the family moved to Vallecito, California with a few irrigated acres for what would lovingly turn into an “old McDonalds Farm/Ranch” with horses, a milk cow, calves, sheep, chickens, ducks, pigs, dogs, cats, and rabbits. Rita spent her days moving irrigation pipes, feeding animals, planting a garden, and caring for the house and fruit trees. She was very active in 4-H as a Club Leader and project leader for many years. Jay had to work off the place and sometimes had more than one job to make ends meet (almost). Jay died at the age of 45 after a short battle with cancer. Rita would eventually sell the place to her son Dennis, who still has most of it today. She worked at a veterinary hospital in Murphys, California for many years and really enjoyed the clients, animals, and her bosses, the “Grovers.” In 2005, after 75 years of living within 100 miles of where she was born, she sold and moved to Thompson Falls, MT to be near her daughter. She had a home built in town. She proceeded over the next 19 years to plant trees, create a yard, and have a wonderful garden every year. She enjoyed her memberships and friendships in bowling, bunco, the Senior Center, and volunteering for the women’s group in the St. William Catholic Church. She was a member of Los Californians, with her heritage traced back to the settling of Monterey and San Juan Bautista in 1774 with the Father Serra expedition.
She is survived by her daughter Debbie Rolleri (Jim) of Thompson Falls, MT, son Dennis Truelock (Shelley) of Vallecito, California, and son Jerry Truelock of Manhattan, NV. 8 grandkids, Danice Rolleri Toyias, Todd Rolleri, Jesse Truelock, Jason Truelock, Travis Truelock, Jeremiah Truelock, Jennifer Truelock, and Jamison Truelock. 14 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren.
There will be a service at the St William Catholic Church at 2 p.m. Thursday, December 19, 2024.
In the Spring there will be graveside services in Vallecito, California.
Many thanks to all the wonderful neighbors and great friends who were ready and willing to help in any way needed. And special thanks to those who learned how to feed her and spent time comforting her, to mom’s doctor Jane Taylor for her loving care of our mother. And finally, Hospice was a great resource with caring people willing to guide our family near the end.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to consider a donation to Hospice online at www.cfvh.org/services/hospice or mail a check to Clark Fork Valley Hospital Hospice Department or because of her love of 4-H a donation can be sent to Angelus Ranus 4-H c/o 4-H Office, 891 Mountain Ranch Rd, San Andreas, California 95249.
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