Founder & Owner of Pinezanita RV Park & Campground Dies
-from the Stanley Children: Betty, Richard, Tom, Fred & Jim

Christine Stanley, owner, operator, and founder of Pinezanita Trailer Ranch died December 21, 2005 at the age of 77.

EULOGY OF CHRISTINE STANLEY, as presented by Tony Vedova.
Memorial Services were held on Saturday, January 7, 2006, at the Julian Union High School at 10AM.

Christine Stanley what an amazing woman. My name is Tony Vedova, and on behalf of the Stanley family, we would like to thank you for coming to be a part of Christine’s life celebration.

Christine was born on November 22, 1928, to LC and Jody Slaton on a small farm in Valiant, Oklahoma. She was the first of 4 children. She had 2 brothers, Floyd and Whalen and a sister Jody.

In 1940, LC and Jody sold the farm and moved the family to San Diego. Christine was 12 at the time and while attending school, raising her younger siblings and performing household chores, also found a job working for the USO in a Canteen.

At age 16, Christine went to live with her Grandmother in Pasadena, California. While there, she got a hostess job at a fancy restaurant called the Pig N’ Whistle. It was the place to be for up and coming movie stars.

In 1947, she married a chef from the restaurant, Murphy Givens, and they moved to Texas. It was here that she started a retirement home and cared for 12-15 elders. In 1949, she had her first child, Betty Ann. Her marriage to Mr. Givens did not work out so she bought a car and moved back to San Diego.

It didn’t take long for Christine to get re-established. She immediately got a job as the assistant manager for Boggs Brothers Catering. She was often in charge of catering events for the San Diego Naval Station.

In 1952, Christine met and married Alfred Stanley Jr. also known as “Red." The wedding ceremony was actually a double wedding in which she and her sister shared the same day. It also happened to be their parents, LC and Jody’s 25th wedding anniversary and a prime opportunity for them to renew their vows.

“Red” was the Brig Warden at Port Hueneme in Oxford California. He also served in the Philippine Islands. When “Red” finished his military service in 1953, he and Christine moved back to San Diego and bought a house in El Cajon where “Red” got his contracting license and started a one truck plumbing business. Christine, once again, wasted no time. She got a job with the Bank of America in downtown San Diego as a stock certificate writer.

As “Red’s” plumbing business began to grow, Christine left the bank to assist “Red.” In 1958 together they opened A. Stanley Plumbing on El Cajon Blvd.. They had 8 trucks and 16 plumbers.

While married to “Red,” Christine had 4 boys, Richard, Tom, Fred and Jim.

Shortly after opening the plumbing business, “Red” and Christine decided they needed a place to escape the busy work week so they purchased 26 and one half acres off of Highway 79 in Julian. The property had a small house in need of great repair. It was loaded with Pine trees and Manzanita bushes. Weekends were spent repairing, remodeling and brushing.

“Red” and Christine permanently moved the family to Julian in 1960. Christine worked along side “Red” digging trenches, carrying pipe and hot lead, and crawling under houses to install water and sewer lines for residential and commercial customers. This in addition to commuting back and forth to San Diego to help her mother with a painting business and raising 5 young children.

In 1964, Christine and a partner opened a gift shop on the Julian property. It was named “Pinezanita” after the natural landscaping of Pine trees and Manzanita bushes that blanketed the area. They gathered Manzanita roots and branches, had them sand blasted to remove the bark and dirt, and made floral arrangements, many of which were sold for decorating new office buildings in the San Diego area.

“Red” died suddenly of a heart attack in February of 1968. Faced with several plumbing jobs in process and with four under-age boys at home, Christine made a decision to liquidate the plumbing business and set in motion a dream she and “Red” had of developing a campground for tents and RV’s. With a lot of hard work, blood, sweat and tears, “Pinezanita Trailer Ranch” became an instant success. Today, 38 years later, Pinezanita, “Her Little Piece of Heaven” continues to thrive.

Christine was a person that loved to get involved with the community. She served as a member of the Julian High School Board, The Grange, The Chamber of Commerce, and the Julian Bed and Breakfast Guild. 

Christine was also instrumental in establishing the first “official” ambulance service in Julian. After her own personal emergency of dropping a glass water bottle on the ground that shattered severing an artery in her foot and after the witnessing of countless highway accidents with no emergency resources, she and “Red” purchased an old station wagon, gutted it, installed a siren on top, and created an ambulance. To pay for operating expenses, Christine drove sometimes door to door selling family memberships for $25. The ambulance served the Julian, Santa Ysabel and Warner Springs communities. Once established, the ambulance was donated to the Julian Chamber of Commerce. Ironically, it was in this ambulance that “Red” died while suffering a fatal heart attack in route to Palomar Hospital.

As we remember and forever immortalize Christine, “Love,” “Compassion,” “Generosity,” “Inspiration,” “Unselfishness,” “Resourceful,” “Hard Working,” “Independent,” “Caring,” and “Innovative” are just some of the words that come to mind.

She was a business woman. And believe me if you were one of her 5 children growing up, you knew she “meant business” if you were being summoned by your full given birth name.

Christine was resourceful and had the gift of powerful persuasion. She had the idea of developing the trailer park and campground but also needed money to get it started. After several failed attempts of borrowing money from local banks, it was suggested by friends and local businessmen to run an ad in the San Diego Union. The ad read “Recent widow with 5 children to raise needs financial loan for new business idea.” She had 28 immediate responses. The first meeting she had was with a potential investor, Mrs. Moreno from La Jolla. After meeting Christine and hearing her business idea, Mrs. Moreno told Christine to look no further for investors. "I will provide you with all the money you need at a very low interest rate and instead of providing you with an up-front lump sum, will transfer the money to your bank account as you need it to keep the accumulated interest down. There will be no term on the loan except to repay me as your business is completed and you begin to turn a profit." Christine did not disappoint. She quickly completed the park, opened for business and began repaying the loan immediately.

She was incredibly caring and compassionate. An example of this involves a park resident Al Moody, who had a trailer in her park. Al was an only child and his parents had died years earlier. He came to Pinezanita and told Christine he needed a place to live. He described how he was living in an apartment downtown and could not walk down the streets without being “mugged.” He said all he wanted was to live in a place where he could spend the remainder of his years in a peaceful environment and to him, Pinezanita was this place.

Al was a small, humorous, frail, yet strong man. To repay Christine for accepting him into her park, he would rake leaves and pick up trash almost daily. Christine and Al developed a special friendship over the years. As the years passed, Al’s health began to falter. Christine would take Al to Julian every week to do his grocery shopping. At the age of 93, Al’s health got so bad Christine decided to move Al into her home where she had a spare bedroom. She would cook meals and take care of him daily in addition to her responsibilities of running Pinezanita. One day towards the end of his life at the tender age of 95, while sitting at the table where he ate breakfast, Al looked at Christine and out of the blue he asked, “Are we still hitched?" She smiled at him, laughed a little and said “Yes Al, we’re still hitched.” Al replied “Okay, but remember, I don’t dance, and I don’t do kisses and hugs!”

You couldn’t spend a weekend at Pinezanita without seeing that little red Honda with tools hanging out of the hatchback speeding through the park. Christine could run out of the office, jump in the car and get to a wayward soul that hadn’t yielded her “STOP” sign, before they even hit the second speed bump, just to find out where they were going. She would always come back and say “Can’t People Read?”

Christine had a voice that would carry “a country mile.” Many a camper froze in their steps by the command of her voice and her infamous “YOO HOO!”

She was all about tenderness, respect, consideration, kindness, generosity and hard work. No matter how distasteful the job or what time of day it was, no matter what the weather, if it needed to be done she’d be right there working as hard as the rest.

Christine seemed to frequently have luck on her side. You would think she had a guardian angel watching over her. Early one morning after a very stormy night, Christine phoned Tom and frantically said, “Get over here, the large oak tree across from site 69 has fallen on a motor home and we’ve got to get it off! The people were inside when it fell. I‘ve called Richard and the boy’s and they’re on their way to help.” As Tom rushed over to the park, all he could think of was the tree size and how it must have fallen and completely demolished two trailers and a car. When Tom arrived, they assessed the situation and indeed it looked serious, but the tree was so large it completely concealed the extent of the damage. After working for a couple of hours in wind, rain and snow, with several chain saws, a backhoe, all available family members, and Christine loading the dump truck with the limbs that were cut, it became evident that Christine and Pinezanita were blessed once again! Amazingly, very little damage was caused when by all accounts two trailers and a car should have been totaled.

She never asked you to do anything that she wouldn’t do herself. She worked so hard, it was difficult to keep up with her. It was great when she entered her 70’s because now there was at least a chance of maintaining her pace. She loved driving her backhoe to deliver pea gravel, wood or just to pick up leaves. She even got pretty good on it coming close to legs and feet but never running anyone over.

Christine cherished the family Christmas Eve dinners where all of the latest Colorado hunting stories were told bringing tears of laughter to her face every time.

We will never forget our wonderful trips together. Flying over water on the way to Hawaii and actually getting her in the water once there. “Christine had a definite fear of water.” Riding her own snowmobile through Yellowstone at the age of 66. Laughing so hard while with the “Girls” in the mud baths of Calistoga, they could barely stand up.

Christine, as our Mother, Grandmother, Mother-in-Law, Sister, Family Member, Acquaintance, Friend, and Partner, you have blessed this place, this family and this community with your love, compassion, generosity and unselfishness.
You were always there to comfort us, advise us, encourage us and inspire us. You’ve played an important role in the development and success of many people. You were truly a remarkable woman with a unique ability to touch the lives of all encountered. Your genuine spirit and zest for life have guided you and others through the face of adversity. Your willingness to place the needs of others before your own and lend a hand to the less fortunate exemplifies your generosity and compassion towards others. Your perseverance and dedication to perfection have yielded an amazing “Little Peace of Heaven” known as Pinezanita.

You have lived a good long life and we know you were ready for the Lord to take you home. We will truly miss you, remember the good you have instilled in us, and cherish the memories and “final gifts” you gave to us all.

Thanks for being a part of our lives. You are in our hearts “forever” and you will never be forgotten.

Remember, that although we are here today to memorialize Christine’s life we should celebrate it as well. One of life’s ironies is that we are born crying at the same time bringing tears of joy and laughter to those who love us. Throughout Christine’s life she made us laugh and her departure now makes us cry. Christine never really left. She hears us when we speak no matter the distance. She is in a better place and waiting to greet us someday. She is in every step we make. She is involved with everything we do. For she is forever in our hearts and even though we can not physically see her, she will always be with us.

(Added comments by Tony Vedova, reader of the Eulogy)

I had the pleasure of spending some time with Christine shortly before she passed on.  It was truly an amazing moment in which I was able to say goodbye to such an inspirational and loving woman.  Her family was present, as they had been so often during her times of need.  Her legacy lives on in the incredibly loving and caring family she left behind.

In recent conversations with family members, I am amazed at their consistent perspective on Christine’s passing.  This experience has left them with an amazing amount of pride and peace, and provided them with a newfound strength with which to tackle life’s challenges.  Christine instilled that strength in them through her actions, truly leaving a lasting legacy for her family, friends and acquaintances.

I leave you with some written thoughts from her family:
“Even though you were my “Mother-in law”, you were like a Mom to me.  Always there to give advice, listen and to give that wonderful hug.  My afternoon walks will never be the same, but I know you will always be walking by my side.  There have been so many lives touched by all you have given of yourself to others.  We have truly lost something very special.  I love you so very much. One of your “daughters,” Michelle.”

It has been an honor to speak to you on behalf of such a wonderful, and yes, “Amazing Woman,” and to represent this wonderful family with their thoughts to you!