Billie J. Hopper

Susan Burke Guenza loving wife, mother, sister and friend, and long-time resident of San Rafael, California - passed away peacefully at the age of

83 in the presence of her family on February 28, 2021 after fighting hard for three weeks against multiple injuries endured from a fall at home.

She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her, and remembered fondly for her dry wit, fantastic sense of humor, friendly nature, keen intelligence, dedication to her family, incredible resilience and courage, and compassionate soul. She never expressed a word of discomfort or pain during her recent hospitalization, a final testament to her inner strength and remarkable faith.

Her family will be forever grateful that the Lord granted Susan a serene transition from her physical challenges, welcoming her gracefully into His peaceful eternal paradise and the infinite love of la Virgen de Guadalupe, to whom she was particularly devoted. Susan was born in Boston, MA on June 11, 1937 to Thomas Murray Burke and Marie Dolores Monahan Burke of Winthrop, MA. The fourth child of six, she grew up in a close-knit Irish Catholic family and enjoyed large family gatherings, swimming in the ocean, and ice skating in the backyard with her friends and siblings before graduating from Winthrop High School in 1954.

She graduated from the Catherine Labouré School of Nursing in Dorchester, MA after working as a student nurse in South Boston and Baltimore, MD, and thereafter finished first in the State of Massachusetts board exams to become a nurse anesthetist. In the early 1960s, she and two friends drove west to new horizons in California, where Susan flourished in her career as a nurse anesthetist at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Francisco’s Fillmore District. She often recalled her diverse medical field colleagues from Kaiser with real fondness, and made a habit of slipping into the Baptist church down the block on her breaks to be with the joyful gospel music and friendly congregation there.

In 1965 she married John P. (Jack) Guenza, Jr., a native of Santa Rosa, CA and a man she would refer to as “my boyfriend” for the rest of her life.

After the 1967 birth of their son, John, Susan and Jack moved to San Rafael, CA in 1968 where they welcomed their younger son, Michael, in 1970 and developed an extensive community of friends. Susan was an energetic and creative volunteer throughout her life as a young mother and as her sons grew up, supporting and enriching the community at large through her work for the Coleman School PTA, the Davidson Middle School PTA, the Festival of Trees, the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, St. Ignatius College Preparatory, the Little Sisters of the Poor at St. Anne’s Home, and the San Rafael Public Library.

She gracefully shared her home and kitchen with many of her sons’ friends and beloved neighborhood families with great joy and generosity over the years, and became well-known throughout the Black Canyon/Dominican region for her biscotti, minestrone soup, and homemade pesto (not bad for a woman 99.9%

Billie Juanita Hopper of Pleasant Hill, CA peacefully passed from this life in the early hours of Sunday, February 14, 2021 at the age of 77.

Billie was born on February 1, 1944 in Fowler, CA to William B. Hopper and Juanita R. Hopper (Davis), and grew up in Niles, Richmond, and Orinda, CA.

From an early age Billie exhibited what would prove to be her lifelong love of reading and learning, bringing basketfuls of books home from the local library each week. Her love of nature, curiosity and active disposition were also evident from the start, with hours spent exploring the areas around her family’s home, including mysterious and magical woodlands and a nearby commercial nursery.

Graduating 4th in her high school class in 1961, Billie enrolled at UC Berkeley, undeterred by the high school counselor’s observation that she would just be “average” there. In 1965 Billie graduated from U.C. Berkeley having earned a degree in Anthropology and Psychology, as well as having become a wife and mother. She went on to earn her Teaching Credential in 1966, and taught elementary school for twelve years in California, Colorado, and Ohio. She particularly loved her fourth-grade students, explaining that, to her, they had the perfect balance of independence, curiosity, and wonder.

She went back to school and earned her Master’s Degree in Public School Administration from Ohio University in 1977. After briefly considering pursuing a Doctorate in Education with an eye towards becoming an Elementary School Principal, she decided that working to develop the best in those curious and wonderfilled young minds was her true calling, a perspective that would continue for the rest of her life.

After a short period working as a restaurant manager and training supervisor for a national restaurant chain, Billie joined Bechtel Corporation in San Francisco in 1981 as a Project Administrator. She worked for Bechtel for 25 years, retiring in 2005 after a career which included roles of increasing responsibility such as Assistant Manager of Executive Services, and Office & Administrative Services Manager for Bechtel National, Inc. Billie’s intelligence, integrity, and her warm and accepting personality served her well throughout her career within a firm of mostly technical professionals, marking her as a manager with exceptional abilities to build and guide a team of diverse individuals capable of achieving better than expected results, even in the most challenging circumstances. She became a unique role model for her colleagues, and a sought-after counselor to many for her exceptional abilities to listen well and to provide sound and appropriate advice. Billie possessed an amazing ability to recognize someone’s strengths and bring out the very best in people, whatever the task at hand.

During her career with Bechtel, Billie continued to pursue interests outside of her professional responsibilities. Her rapport with the natural world led her to become a docent for The Nature Conservancy, an organization that she continued to support for the rest of her life. Billie’s lifelong connection to nature was evident in her skills as a gardener, taking great joy in the cultivation and growth of several personal gardens surrounding her home. Having grown up in northern California, in a family that enjoyed camping, hiking, and fishing, these activities, remained an integral part of her life. Drawn to both the peace of the Sierra as well as the tranquility of the seashore, one of Billie’s favorite activities was exploring tidepools. Birding was another lifelong interest for Billie – whether in her garden, hiking locally or in the mountains, or at the seashore, Billie was always tuned to the birds. She found them endlessly fascinating and uniquely beautiful, and could identify most by either appearance or song. Like their human counterparts she knew that each was a unique individual with a special place in this world.

From 2005 until 2019 Billie volunteered at the Ruth

Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, CA. Her volunteer efforts included learning all that she could about the history and makeup of the garden, the special characteristics of the plants within the garden, and how they were maintained and propagated. She was fortunate enough to meet Ruth and the two developed an immediate and lasting bond. Drawing on her considerable skills in team building and personnel development, Billie grew into roles of increasing responsibility at the garden, including becoming Executive Director, a member of the Board of Directors, and Special Projects Manager. In this last role Billie was instrumental in the planning, development, and construction of a permanent Visitor and Education Center, which dramatically altered the presence of the garden in the Walnut Creek community and positively enhanced the experience of all garden visitors.

Consistent with her nature to be open, supportive, and nurturing, Billie had a wide circle of friends with whom she shared her spirit of adventure and exploration. Having taught herself the skills and techniques of a wide range of cooking styles, she expanded those skills through several cooking-oriented travels abroad, including to Italy, Sicily, France, Spain, and Vietnam. These trips gave Billie a greater appreciation of the local people, culture, and cuisine as well as deepening her friendships with her travel companions. Cooking for Billie was always a labor of love, whether making a simple meal for her family or orchestrating a large dinner party, she never produced anything that didn’t reflect her care, attention to detail, and love for everyone at the table.

As a young woman in the 1960’s and throughout her life, Billie was mindful of her physical and emotional health. Having enjoyed the peace and tranquility of extended camping trips as a young girl, she engaged in numerous backpacking excursions with family and friends. Always inquisitive regarding various cultures and history, Billie took several bicycle and hiking tours in France, Italy, and New Zealand with her family.

In addition to the hiking, biking, camping, and backpacking activities, Billie enjoyed daily walks with her beloved dogs, Aero and Scooter, often venturing into open space to keep her as close to nature as her daily life would allow. She also practiced yoga as another way to keep herself centered and at peace with the world. Those close to Billie and her practice have remarked at how well she practiced the art of yoga both on and off the mat.

For her creative and gentle personality, her love of life, her keen mind, her amazing skill with people, her caring and compassionate nature, being the Energizer Bunny who could accomplish more in one day than most can in a week, as a steadfast and supportive friend, her loving and giving heart, and her smile which she shared with others so generously, she will never be forgotten by those who knew her.

Billie is survived by her husband David J. Mitchell also of Pleasant Hill, CA, her daughter Rebecca W. Doe of Walnut Creek, CA, and her brother William B. Hopper of Placerville, CA.

Donations in Billie’s memory can be made to The Nature Conservancy or to the Ruth Bancroft Garden.