Ethel Telfer, a longtime Morgan Hill resident and community
business leader, died June 26, 2004, at home after a lengthy
illness.
Ethel Telfer, a longtime Morgan Hill resident and community business leader, died June 26, 2004, at home after a lengthy illness.
She was 84.
Mrs. Telfer was born in St. Helena on July 19, 1919 to the late William Steele and Charlotte Norling Steele. She moved to Morgan Hill as an infant with her family.
Ethel attended Morgan Hill schools and graduated from Live Oak High School in 1936. She also attended San Jose State and Healds Business College. She was an avid equestrian and was selected as the Madrone Rodeo Queen in 1937. She was then selected that same year as the Santa Clara County’s representative at the Salinas Rodeo.
Along with her late husband Ernest Telfer, she participated in and carried on local family businesses that date back to the early 1920s.
Her husband was the son of the late John Telfer who was an early pioneer of Morgan Hill and mayor of Morgan Hill for 15 years.
Mrs. Telfer was the owner and broker of South County Realty established in the early 1970s with her husband. She pledged herself to professional service to the community in all phases of real estate and development.
She was an advocate of beneficial, orderly community growth for the South Santa Clara County. Prior to owning South County Realty, she owned and operated ”Telfer’s Market” with her husband for more than 30 years.
She also was a member of the Manzanita Chapter of Eastern Star and displayed a keen interest in local youth groups where she served many years as a 4-H leader. Through her son John Telfer she also took a strong interest in the local swim club and water polo membership functions and played an active part in membership and AAU officiating during Santa Clara Swim Club International events.
She is survived by her daughters, Joan K. Bardwell and son-in-law Milo of La Quinta; Bonnie A. Kregear and son-in-law Archie of Morgan Hill; son, John E. Telfer and daughter-in-law Diane of Morgan Hill; sister, Alyce Brown of Panorama City, Wash;, grandchildren, Kimberly Mattraw of San Francisco, Erica Heinrich of Bellevue, Wash., Brett Bardwell of La Quinta, and Matthew Telfer and Erik Telfer of Morgan Hill; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ernest M. Telfer; sisters, Edna Mae Coates and Aimee Beckenhauer; and brother, William Burns Steele, Jr.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on July 6, 2004, at Johnson Funeral Home in Morgan Hill.
The family asks that any donations be made to Santa Teresa Hospice Care.
She was 84.
Mrs. Telfer was born in St. Helena on July 19, 1919 to the late William Steele and Charlotte Norling Steele. She moved to Morgan Hill as an infant with her family.
Ethel attended Morgan Hill schools and graduated from Live Oak High School in 1936. She also attended San Jose State and Healds Business College. She was an avid equestrian and was selected as the Madrone Rodeo Queen in 1937. She was then selected that same year as the Santa Clara County’s representative at the Salinas Rodeo.
Along with her late husband Ernest Telfer, she participated in and carried on local family businesses that date back to the early 1920s.
Her husband was the son of the late John Telfer who was an early pioneer of Morgan Hill and mayor of Morgan Hill for 15 years.
Mrs. Telfer was the owner and broker of South County Realty established in the early 1970s with her husband. She pledged herself to professional service to the community in all phases of real estate and development.
She was an advocate of beneficial, orderly community growth for the South Santa Clara County. Prior to owning South County Realty, she owned and operated ”Telfer’s Market” with her husband for more than 30 years.
She also was a member of the Manzanita Chapter of Eastern Star and displayed a keen interest in local youth groups where she served many years as a 4-H leader. Through her son John Telfer she also took a strong interest in the local swim club and water polo membership functions and played an active part in membership and AAU officiating during Santa Clara Swim Club International events.
She is survived by her daughters, Joan K. Bardwell and son-in-law Milo of La Quinta; Bonnie A. Kregear and son-in-law Archie of Morgan Hill; son, John E. Telfer and daughter-in-law Diane of Morgan Hill; sister, Alyce Brown of Panorama City, Wash;, grandchildren, Kimberly Mattraw of San Francisco, Erica Heinrich of Bellevue, Wash., Brett Bardwell of La Quinta, and Matthew Telfer and Erik Telfer of Morgan Hill; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ernest M. Telfer; sisters, Edna Mae Coates and Aimee Beckenhauer; and brother, William Burns Steele, Jr.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on July 6, 2004, at Johnson Funeral Home in Morgan Hill.
The family asks that any donations be made to Santa Teresa Hospice Care.
