Ilota “Fay” Contreras (Miller)

August 1, 1920 - September 19, 2018

Ilota “Fay” Contreras, (née Miller) - Passed away in hospice in Redding, CA on September 19, 2018. Daughter of Maurice and Leona Miller, the youngest, along with her twin Inez, of their seven children. Born August 1, 1920 in Wendling, Oregon, and a 1937 graduate of Salem High School. “Fay” came to San Francisco in 1938 and began working as a secretary for Industrial Indemnity Insurance Company, and, after World War II, this is where she met and married her husband of 55 years, Leonard Cortés Contreras. Fay worked as Head of The Department of Health Services of The State of California from 1966 to1982, after which she and Leonard retired and moved to Anderson, CA to be nearer to the houseboat that they owned, moored on Shasta Lake. She was a very active member in Redding of The Sons of Italy, The Grange, and The Emblem Club of The Elks. A volunteer in the Gift Shop of Mercy Medical Center from 1988 until 2016, a member of The Asphalt Cowboys, a regular dancer Sundays at The Sundial Bridge and at The Seniors Club, Fay never missed an opportunity to volunteer her time for others. And she never missed an opportunity to dance. A loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and a true and steadfast friend, she will be sorely missed by her many family members and friends. She is survived by her daughter Connie Dolan (Michael) of Lebanon, OR, and sons David (Sharon) of Novato, CA and Lance of Shasta County, many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Leonard, her brothers Paul and Floyd, and her sisters Ruth, Gladys, Joyce, and Inez.

Services will be held November 2, 2018 at 2 p.m.at Allen and Dahl Funeral Chapel, 2655 Eureka Way, Redding, CA.

Memorial Contributions can be made to Mercy Hospice, 1544 Market Street, Redding, CA 96001.