Alva A. Shine (Costella)

Dec. 1931 - Sept. 17, 2020 Alva Shine was born and raised in San Francisco where she met and married the love of her life, Dennis Kevin Shine. They moved with their young family to Marin County, where she resided for the next 62 years of her life, until moving to Sonoma County in 2016. Alva was predeceased by her husband and her eldest daughter Sandra. She is survived by her children, Karen Shine and Kevin (Marsha) Shine; and her grandchildren, respectively Sancesca (Rudy) DeSouza, Daniel (Ashley) Lowman and Taylor Shine. She also leaves behind her sister, Gloria Ghirarduzzi; Gloria’s children; two step children, Sarah (Brandon) Macek and Anna (Mark) Heaphy; great-grandchildren Nevaeh and Ariana DeSouza, Cillian Lowman, and Freya Heaphy; and many other beloved nieces, nephews, in-laws and their children.

Alva was very active in Saint Anselm’s Church, The Marie Rose Guild and Sunny Hill’s Bargain Box. She worked several interesting jobs while raising her children and in 1970 went to work for the County Clerk’s Office with the County of Marin, retiring in 1986 as the Registrar of Voters. She and her husband traveled the world with family and friends, gathering lifelong friends along the way.

Alva spent her final years battling a life taken over by dementia at the Sunrise of Petaluma Assisted Living, where she was very warmly and lovingly cared for by their great staff, and by Continuum Hospice in her final days. The fabulous people and staff were her Angels in her final days.

Alva will be interned at Valley Memorial Cemetery alongside her husband. There will be a mass and celebration of Alva’s life at a later date to be announced to family and friends.