Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 18:25:02 :
Independent Journal
Friday, July 7, 1995
HELEN F. TICHENOR
Helen Freitas Tichenor of San Rafael, a member of an early ranching family, died Wednesday at home while recuperating from surgery. She was 92.
Mrs. Tichenor was the fifth-oldest of eight children born to Manuel and Maria Freitas.
The father came tot he United States from the Azore Islands and, in addition to ranching, organized and served as president of the old Bank of San Rafael.
Mrs. Tichenor was born in the main house of the Freitas home ranch, which the family later donated to St. Isabella’s Parish in Terra Linda. She spent her youth at the Freitas ranch and at the family home on Fifth Avenue in San Rafael.
She moved to the East Bay in 1922 after marrying the late Sheldon Wright, a Hollywood photographer and writer who was best known by his nickname, ‘Shiney’ Wright.
In 1939 she married Stephen Ti chenor, an executive of Standard Oil Co. the two moved to San Rafael in 1940.
“We were a very close family,” said her younger brother, Louis Freitas. “Since our parents died when we were fairly young, Helen had a large part in raising the three younger boys.”
“My mother was an amazing woman,” said her son, Sheldon Wright. “Her greatest trait of all was love of family…She was very giving and a tremendous source of strength.”
Mrs. Tichenor was educated at the St. Raphael Parochial school and Dominican Convent High School in San Rafael.
She was a member of St. Sylvester’s Church in San Rafael and a trustee of the Freitas Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization.
For many years, she was an avid golf player. “She was pretty good,” said her brother, Louis Freitas. “She could break 100.”
Mrs. Tichenor is survived by her husband, Stephen Tichenor, 92, of San Rafael; two sons, Gilbert Wright of Marla Bay, Nev., and Sheldon Wright of Mount Shasta City; a daughter, Ann Hubbard of Pollock Pines; two brothers, Louis Freitas of Sonoma and Walter Freitas of Pebble Beach; nine grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Vigil services will be at 7:30 p.m. today at Our Lady of Loretto Church, Novato. Funeral Mass will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Our Lady of Loretto Church.
Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Marin.
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