Christina Haley was welcomed into heaven and the arms of Jesus November 2, 2010, following her lengthy and courageous battle with breast cancer.
Those she left behind found the world a little emptier with the loss of her joy, her light, her life. All who knew Chris and spent any time at all with her came away feeling encouraged and somehow better for having spent time in her presence.
Christina was born to Glenn and Muriel Brem in Gilroy, CA on July 31, 1946. She completed her formal education with two Master’s degrees from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, where she enjoyed college life to the fullest, and eventually met her husband, Roger Haley of Ventura.
Chris and Roger were married in 1975 and began their family life on the Haley Ranch, the family ranch outside of Ojai, where Roger worked closely in business with his mother, Katherine Haley.
The joys of Chris’ life were their sons, Bret, Bradley and Bryan. While the Haley boys were young, Chris spent her days and nights teaching and raising her boys to be the ranchers and gentlemen they are today. When they reached school age and Chris was no longer needed as much at home, she found herself involved in their schools, classrooms, and, eventually, her chosen profession of teaching other children, and she was often found substituting in schools around the Ojai area.
Her later teaching years were spent working with children who were housebound for health and other reasons. Christina loved working closely with “her families” and the impact she had on countless lives is recounted often by those she loved and was privileged to teach.
Aside from her many gifts of entertaining, decorating, gardening and flower arranging, a key focus of Christina’s was her deep interest in the history of Ventura County, mostly as it pertained to Rancho Casitas and the Haley/Hoffman/Hobson family. Their home is filled with scrapbooks, albums and other memorabilia of early Rancho days.
She served on the Museum Board and was an active participant in local and County historical events.
In the later years of her life, Chris’ and Roger’s grandsons, Wyatt, Weston, Brayden and Jack Haley brought even more joy and much laughter into their lives and the last years of their life together.
The grandsons’ antics and anecdotes were a constant topic of conversation to anyone she talked with!
Even though she left this earth far too early, and when the boys were very small, her presence and impact on their lives will be felt by them forever.
In addition to Roger, their sons Bret Douglas (Leigh Davy Haley), Bradley William (Erin Mescher Haley) and Bryan Christopher (Lindsay Harris Haley), and their grandsons, Christina is survived by her parents, Glenn and Muriel Brem of Gilroy; her siblings Vicki Ciraulo (Stan) of Morgan Hill, Rich Brem (Trish) of Hollister, Ed Brem (Jane) of Salinas and Peggy Fischer (Jeff) of San Jose, in-laws Andrea Haley Pfister (Hank), Bob Haley (Martha) and Virginia Haley Dean, as well as numerous nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces, a large extended family and a host of close, lifelong friends.
What people will remember most about Christina Haley was what an incredible friend she was and her commitment to serving, encouraging and challenging those she loved. Her life exemplified one of the most well-known chapters in the Bible… “Love is patient, kind…not self-seeking. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
The family has requested, for those who feel a desire to do so, in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Christina B. Haley Memorial Shepherd’s Fund, Ojai Valley Community Church, 907 El Centro Street, Ojai, CA 93023. Interment was private.
A Celebration of Chris’ life will be held at Ojai Valley Community Church on Saturday, November 6, 2010, at 11:00 A.M.
