CC 2021-04-13_06c Honorary Proclamation - Elsie CecchettiPROCLAMATION POSTHUMOUSLY HONORING
ARROYO GRANDE NATIVE
ELSIE M. CECCHETTI
WHEREAS, the Arroyo Grande community mourns the loss of native resident, community
volunteer, and mentor, Elsie Cecchetti, who passed away on March 11, 2021; and
WHEREAS, Elsie was born on March 16, 1922, on the Carroll Ranch in Edna, and was the
oldest of four children; and
WHEREAS, Elsie started out milking cows at the age of 5 until she was 15 and worked at
numerous dairies to buy her school clothes. When attending Arroyo Grande Schools, she
only spoke Portuguese, but taught herself English and graduated from Arroyo Grande High
School in 1943; and
WHEREAS, Elsie met the love of her life, George Cecchetti, while working on the Cecchetti
Ranch picking beans. George and Elsie were married in Arroyo Grande on September 15,
1945. They enjoyed dancing on Saturday nights at the Portuguese Hall, Square Dancing
together and were members of the Hill Toppers Square Dance Club, Dave's Pairs 'N'
Harmony and Mesa Twirlers clubs for many years. They spent 47 years together; and
WHEREAS, in 1957, Elsie became a school bus driver which, at the time, was a 1957 yellow
Ford pickup and included a canvas-covered camper shell and bench seats in the bed. She
drove the pickup for 2 ½ years until the California Highway Patrol said it couldn't be used for
a bus. Elsie then taught herself to drive a 22-seat bus, purchased by Branch School, and
continued driving larger buses for the Lucia Mar Unified School District until retiring in 1993;
and
WHEREAS, Elsie was the Grand Marshall for the Arroyo Grande Valley Harvest Festival in
2016. She was a member of the Luso-American Fraternal Federation since 1946, Cabrillo
Civic Club, Historical Society, Farm Bureau Association, a member of the St. Patrick's
Catholic Church, honorary member of both the Arroyo Grande FFA and Arroyo Grande
Sportsman Club, and many other organizations; and
WHEREAS, Elsie was a long-time coordinator of the Portuguese Celebrations and was often
seen carrying the flags and marching alongside the queens and their courts. Many said she
was the Portuguese celebration; and
WHEREAS, Elsie loved tending to her garden, canning the fruits of her labor and raising her
cows and chickens. She adored her dog Shiloh, who she called her companion. She loved
her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, along with numerous close friends
whom she treated like family.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that I, Caren Ray Russom, Mayor of the City of
Arroyo Grande, posthumously honor Elsie Cecchetti and acknowledge her long-time
community and civic service, and dedication to the City of Arroyo Grande.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City
of Arroyo Grande to be affixed this 13th day of April 2021.
__________________________________
CAREN RAY RUSSOM, MAYOR
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