Ethel Mary Vega

Our beloved Ethel Vega passed away on December 13th at Kaiser Vallejo Hospital. She had been admitted to the hospital three weeks earlier due to an infection that had impact on her cognitive abilities. Her daughter Helen and Richie had picked up Ethel to take her to have her weekly hair appointment with Stan at Chez Marie’s hair salon on California Blvd. Helen recognized that Mom wasn’t her normal self and decided to take her to the Queen of the Valley Hospital. It was there that her infection was discovered, and plans were made to have her transferred to Kaiser Vallejo.

Ethel was given antibiotics, and her health sprang back quickly. Her stay at Kaiser was to be brief, but Ethel was encouraged to move to an assisted living home until her strength was back fully. Unfortunately, it was discovered that she was dealing with multiple infections, and a bone infection was more severe than first diagnosed. Ethel was told that she would have to spend an extended amount of time in a nursing home. She was not enamored with the idea of possibly spending the rest of her life in a nursing facility and decided she was not going to leave the hospital.

Within a few days of the sad news, Ethel stopped eating as she came to terms with the idea that she wasn’t going to be with us much longer. She wanted to make the decision of when and where she was going to leave. She was tough to a point that I think most people would have given in to strong pain medications, Ethel took none. Ethel knew that she wanted to be cognizant and mentally coherent for her final days. During her last two weeks of fasting, she told stories of her childhood and her life in general. She was visited by family and friends and took many phone calls. Ethel passed Saturday morning, just before family arrived to visit with her for the day. Mom’s spirit was still present when the family arrived, and her spirit left during the time the family sat by her
bedside, mourning her loss.

Ethel will be forever remembered for her strength, independence, and indomitable will. These qualities carried her halfway across the world and shaped every chapter of her life.  Her conversational spirit allowed Ethel to connect with everyone she met. Never one to shy away from expressing her opinions, Ethel was able to bridge gaps between those staunch in their own. 

Ethel was born in India, where her father served as an officer in the Royal English Army. In 1935, she returned to England with her parents, Fredrick Thomas and Gladys Ella, and her older sister, Gladys Ellen. During World War II, the family lived along a major roadway leading from the English Channel to London, a frequent route for German bombers. The constant threat of air raids and falling bombs caused Ethel severe illness, prompting their doctor to insist they relocate. Just weeks after moving to the safer town of High Wycombe, their former home south of London was destroyed by a direct hit.

Years later, Ethel visited her sister Gladys Dallas in the United States. Gladys had married Bertram “John” Dallas, an American serviceman with the famed 82nd Airborne Division. Ethel quickly fell in love with America and soon returned to settle permanently. While in California, she met Rene Vega at Fort Ord, where he worked in military printing for the U.S. Air Force. Together, they raised four children: Linda, Rene Jr., Helen, and Marc.

After their separation, Ethel relocated from Southern California to Napa to be closer to her sister. There, she built a distinguished career as an accountant, bookkeeper, and tax preparer. She worked with Hazel Doud Bookkeeping and Tax Services, Household Finance, Holmes Van and Storage, and later ran her own independent practice. Fluent in Spanish, Ethel earned deep respect in the Hispanic community, assisting countless families with bookkeeping, translations, and naturalization paperwork. Ironically, she never became a US citizen and chose instead to keep her English citizenship.

During her years in Napa, Ethel formed lifelong friendships. From a brief relationship, she welcomed her fifth child, Ricardo Vega. Ethel’s children include: Linda Fedorchak, an Air Force veteran and mother to Angelina and Cristina; Rene Vega, married to Pat Partridge and now retired in Mexico; Helen Lieber, who lives in Napa with her husband Richard and is the mother of Dustin, Jayson, and Alysha, and grandmother to three grandchildren with a fourth soon to arrive; Marc Vega, who lives in Southern California and is father to Desiree, Marcquee, and Trevor, and grandfather to three; and Ricardo Vega, who lives in Napa with his wife Csilla Kato and their children, Oliver and Lilien.

Ethel was a daughter, sister, auntie, mother, grandmother, and a fantastic friend who loved to laugh and make light of the seriousness of world matters. She loved her San Francisco Giants and her pets. She had a deep love of all animals, with her love of cats and dogs evident in the many Humane Society shirts and sweaters she often wore.Mom will be missed by all who loved her.

And as for those tax filing extensions — you’ll have to handle them yourselves this year.

Her memorial service will be held on February 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Creekside Church in Napa (1050 Hagen Road, Napa, CA 94558), with reception to follow. A private burial service will take place at Tulocay Cemetery for immediate family only. In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to plant a tree or rosebush in her memory, or to make a donation to any animal welfare charity of your choice.

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