Westra Ingalls August 26, 1915 - October 27, 2020

August 26, 1915 – October 27, 2020

Westra Ingalls was born in Fresno, CA on August 26, 1915.  She passed into the loving arms of her Heavenly Father on October 27, 2020 of natural causes.

Westra is survived by her Sister, Irene Ford of El Dorado Hills, CA and her Sister-in-law Marcie Ingalls, of Turlock, CA, as well as many nieces and nephews.

The adventuress life of Westra Ingalls began when she married her Husband, Charles on February 14, 1937.  They were married 60 years.

Westra and Charles were married in Reno, on their way to Walker Mine in Plumas County, CA where Charles had a job at Anaconda Copper Company.  In order to get to the mine, they both had to hop into an empty ore bucket and rode the longest tramline in the world, at that time, a total of 9 miles and at an elevation of six thousand feet. Her adventurous life begins.

Her next adventure was to the Red River Lumber Co in Westwood, CA where Charles was hired as an electrician.

In 1941, Westra operated a 76 Union Oil Gas Station and garage in San Miguel, CA during the World War II – while Charles was doing piecework for the government.

They lived there for only one year before moving to Long Beach, CA where they sold used cars. She processed all the DMV paperwork and was grateful for business education.

Part of her adventures included their travels in their Teardrop travel trailer.  Westra was from the first days of travel trailers.  They parked overnight by the side of the road in grocery store parking lots and had no fears of being mugged.  They traveled every state and every Province in Canada.  They even traveled the Alcan Highway to Alaska when it was dirt and gravel. They traveled back to Alaska many times for salmon fishing.

In the early 1950’s, after months of traveling, they lived in Delano, CA where she worked in a furniture and appliance store.

In 1954 they bought the Walnut Orchard in Ceres, CA where she learned how to be a chicken farmer on their 20 acres of Walnuts, here another adventure begins.

It didn’t take Charles long to automate how to harvest his walnuts.  He soon developed the “Beer Can Special” harvester and sweeper-rake. They began manufacturing nut harvesting equipment under the name of Ingalls Manufacturing. Yet, another adventure.

At the age of 91 she furthered her traveling adventures by completing five world cruises.  Soon thereafter she became a full-time resident of Samaritan Village, Hughson, CA.

Memorials in Westra’s name can be made to Community Hospice, 4368 Spyres Way, Modesto, CA 95356.