Carl Theodore Sierra, Jr.

Carl was born in Oakland, California on January 26, 1918 at the home of his parents, Carl and Emma Sierra.  Dr. Peck, a family friend, was present for the delivery. The first part of Carl's life he lived on a ranch between Sacramento and Santa Rosa.  The family moved to Sacramento for two or three years then moved to Southern California where he started grammar school in Eagle Rock.  In 1924 or 1925 the family moved to Berkeley where Carl received the rest of his schooling except for the last four months of his senior year.

Due to Carl Senior changing location of his work the family moved to Sacramento where Carl Jr. graduated from high school.  In 1937 Carl Sr. and Emma moved back to the east Bay and Carl Jr. and I were boarded in a private home and we both attended Sacramento Jr. College. At the end of the semester we moved back to the East Bay.  Carl Jr. attended University of California in Berkeley.  Carl worked his way through college, living in a room near campus.  He majored in entomology and graduated in 1940.  He wanted to go on with college for his Masters Degree but at this time the United States had set up a draft system where young men were required to enter the armed forces for one year of training. Carl decided to enlist so he could get on with his education after his one-year was served. After enlisting and being stationed at Ft. Ord in Monterey, California, Carl came home one weekend saying that all the servicemen at Ft. Ord said it would be a lot longer than one year before they would be discharged. Pearl Harbor was attached December 7, 1941.

President Roosevelt declared war on Japan and Germany.  Two weeks before Carl shipped out going to the South Pacific he married Judith Agnes Bostrom.  She was born in Oakland, California on November 25, 1916. Her parents were Carl and Helen Bostrom.  Carl and Judy were married in San Leandro on February 14, 1943 in a Presbyterian Church.

Carl was in Attu, Leyte, and Luzon Battles.  He was sent with his company to the Hawaiian Islands for R and R in between battles. Carl was in the Army for 5 years and was discharged on the point system.  Just before the bombing of Hiroshima Carl was aboard the USS Queen Elizabeth headed back to the states and home.

Carl worked for the State of California as an entomologist.  He was senior inspector of the state line in Doris, Northern California for about a year.  He was then transferred to San Pedro in Southern California where he was in charge of inspecting ship and air cargo coming into California.  Carl and Judy bought a home in San Pedro where their first child Carl Theodore Sierra III was born on July 2, 1946.  Another boy child, Thomas was born dead about 1948. His ashes were scattered at a cemetery.  Carol Louise Sierra was born in San Pedro January 11, 1953

Carl was transferred again by the State of California.    They moved to Sacramento where they purchased a lovely home.  The children grew up and graduated from high school here.  Judith had a mental illness for several years going from one psychiatrist after another.  Judy kept on taking the same medication prescribed by different doctors and ended up in the hospital before Christmas of 1978 or 1979.  The medical laws have been changed since then as prescriptions are only given now for a short period of time and have to be renewed by the doctor.  Judy nearly died at this time with overdose of medication through no fault of her own.  She stayed in the hospital for several weeks but she was permitted to go home for a few hours on Christmas Day.  Judy was having shock treatments and started feeling much better after several months of a treatment once a month.  Carl and Judy decided to go on a short vacation as they had not been anywhere in years.  Judy did some sewing for herself.  She was a beautiful seamstress and made some beautiful clothes for this trip.  They decided to go to Southern California to see friends.  On the first night on the road Judy was tired so they decided to stay in a motel in Fresno.  Judy died in bed before sunrise on April 15, 1979.  She was interred at East Lawn Memorial Park in Sacramento.  This early death came as a shock to the whole family

Carl continued to work for the State of California until he retired in 1983.  He sold his home and moved into a senior citizen retirement community. He had a one-bedroom apartment with kitchen.  There was also a main dinning room where he could go for meals if he didn't feel like cooking.  Carl had cooked so many meals when Judy was sick so he had quite a few meals in the main dinning room.

Carl's son Carl III (Teddy) never married at this writing (October 1999).  He is a college graduate and works for the government at Edward's Air Force base in Southern California.  He lives in Lancaster not too far from the base.

Carol Sierra married Tom Smith and they divorced before a year had passed.  She graduated from college and married James Mc Lachlin on August 30, 1979 in Sacramento.  James and Carol live in Fresno where their first child, Nathan Sierra Mc Lachlin was born on May 28,1985.  Russell Sierra Mc Lachlin was born June 17, 1987.  Carol teaches young men who are inmates at reform schools.  They are not hardened criminals but have not completed their education.  Carol is a good mother and on weekends the whole family goes on camping trips or water rafting or any outdoor sport.

Carl Jr. is 81 years old at this writing.  Sacramento is quite a distance to travel on a weekend from Fresno or Lancaster.  Carol made arrangements for her Dad to move to a nice senior citizen community in Fresno.  This way she can see him and keep in touch more often.