Christine Marie Silva-LeTourneau entered rest on March 19th, 2012 surrounded by her family and best friends, after battling complications from a pulmonary illness and severe stroke. Chris was born in Madera at Dearborn Hospital on August 30, 1967 and resided her entire life here in her hometown.
Chris attended Washington Elementary School for pre-school and Kindergarten, then attended and graduated from Eastin Arcola School when her family moved to Parkwood in1973. She enjoyed riding with her Dad in his big hay trucks and growing up around the shop with all the diesel repair and maintenance involved in the trucking business.
She always considered herself a "Daddy's Girl" and loved to ride on his motorcycle with him. Chris was active in 4-H and loved crafting and doing numerous art projects with her Mom, as well as camping at Jack-ass Rock every summer. She always enjoyed school and took studying very seriously at Madera High School, where she graduated in 1985.
Proud to be a Madera girl, Chris desperately wanted to make something of herself that set an example for her family and her community. She went to Fresno City College until 1989, and then transferred to Fresno State University. In 1993 Chris graduated from FSU with her BA in Liberal Studies and was proud to be a Bulldog, but going to school mostly at night she missed out on a lot of the college life. After struggling so hard to work and put herself through school, Chris was very excited and happy to finally graduate from the FSU teaching program in 1995 with her Teaching Credential in Early Childhood Education. Her dream of teaching young children finally came to fruition when she was hired by Chowchilla School District to teach kindergarten at Stephens School in 1996. This was her passion and she poured her heart into her students and the Chowchilla community for 16 years. Chris was a Quiet Giant in her student's lives and she had a profound way of identifying with kids and knowing how to teach them.
In 1997 Chris married her longtime sweetheart and supporter Brett LeTourneau and they embarked on their life together. Chris loved camping and spending time in the mountains, cooking, scrapbooking, reading, attending First Christian Church, and spending time with her family and friends. After many years of wanting a child of her own, her daughter Cady was born in 2009 and Chris absolutely adored her. With more of the same passion she had for her career, Chris gave everything to make a happy, tidy home for Brett and Cady, and her entire family enjoyed her crafts, fun activities and party planning skills.
In 2000, after battling a congenital lung disease her entire adult life, Chris began undergoing numerous corrective procedures that had very limited success. Never wanting her illness to define her, she silently struggled for years to try her best to live a normal life and never burden anyone with her daily pain, though it became more and more difficult for her to simply breathe.
Christine is preceded in death by her son, Eddie LeTourneau Jr., her Grandmother Jeanie Sievers, and her Grandmother Rose Silva. She is survived by her husband Brett, her daughter Cady, and her father John Silva, all of Madera. Her mother Carol Bradley, sister Brandee Choate, brother John T. Silva, all of Chowchilla and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral service will be at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 23, 2012 at Jay Chapel, Madera. Graveside service will be on Monday, March 26, 2012 at 1:00 P.M. at Calvary Cemetery, Madera.
