Obituary of Ramona Geraldine Hamblin

Ramona Evans Hamblin has a beautiful heritage. Her Grandfather Peter Evans and his family were amongst the first families to settle in Richvale, California and begin the Rice farming here. Ramona’s mother Eliza was married to Peter’s second Son William Evans. As per Enterprise Record dated November 13, 1918: “Richvale Rice Man is victim of Influenza. William Evans, well known Richvale rice grower, died yesterday from the effects of Spanish Influenza, contracted about 2 weeks ago. He was thirty years old, native of Kansas, and is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary Eliza Evans…” This is how it all began, Eliza was left William’s entire holding here in Richvale, house, rice and pasture, and no children. Eliza took comfort in William’s younger brother, Frank, he was only 5 years her junior, unmarried and strapping. They were wed in 1920. Eliza wanted nothing more than a house full of children, however it took Frank and Eliza 10 years to conceive a child. On August 13, 1930, at Enloe hospital, Eliza gave birth to what was to be her only child, a girl that she named Ramona. Ramona was the apple of her parents’ eye; she was raised between Richvale and Clipper Mills. Her parents, being financially stable and understanding the importance of Ramona having kids her age around, quickly became a popular hangout spot for the kids on the mountain. Ramona met the love of her life at 16 years old, she once reported, she first saw him when her older cousin stopped to give him a hand with his broke down motorcycle on the side of La Porte Road. Albert Hamblin, agreed to conditions of ensuring Ramona would finish high school, in order to make her his wife. Ramona and Albert were married in Reno, NV in 1946. Albert held true to his word and Ramona graduated from Oroville High School in 1948. Albert and Ramona were fortunate to bring 4 boys into this world, Randy, Terry, Larry and Dale, they had 15 grandchildren, and 33 great grandchildren. She was well known in the Biggs, Richvale and Gridley Community and loved by all. She worked for many years for the Biggs Unified School District as the lunch lady. On December 6, 2020, Ramona took her leave, passing away from the effects of the Covid Virus, at the age of 90, she will be remembered as a woman with an amazing heart, who never met a stranger. Whose door was always open and it did not matter how distantly related, you were family and that is all she cared about. She was happiest when her kitchen table was crowded with hungry family and she would go to the ends of the earth for all of us. She will be dearly missed. She was preceded in death by her Paternal Grandparents Peter Cronn Evans, Emma Falk Evans, her Maternal Grandparents Moses Andrew Rhoades and Mary Saphfona LaFever Rhoades, her parents Frank Evans and Mary Eliza Rhoades Evans, and her husband Albert Hamblin. Ramona is survived by her four sons and daughter in laws, Randy Gene Hamblin and Edna Maxine Page Hamblin, Terry Lee Hamblin and Colleen Montierth Hamblin, Larry Dallas Hamblin and Kelly Jean Mooney Hamblin, Dale Todd Hamblin and Annette Nelson Hamblin, and her 15 grandchildren Stephen Tod Hamblin, Mindy Hamblin Harding, Matt Dallas Hamblin, Kari Hamblin Medina, Chad Travis Hamblin, Connie Jean HamblinQuist, Roy Albert Hamblin, Julie Ann Hamblin Thompson, Luke Andrew Hamblin, Tonya Nicole Hamblin, Tristan Laura Hamblin Bosch, Jay Dallas Hamblin, Todd Albert Hamblin, Kyle Grant Hamblin and Douglas Nelson Hamblin, and 33 great grandchildren. In Lieu of flowers please make a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Arrangements are under the direction of Gridley-Block Funeral Chapel.