remembering wanda short

                                    a beloved long time member

Most people think of Wanda Mustain Short as a native of Lemoore, However, she was actually born on November 8, 1917, in Otis, CO., a small town in far northeastern Colorado on a farm occupied by her parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and numerous cousins. When Wanda was 5 years old her whole family packed up and moved to California, meeting up with family members who had gone ahead. Wanda attended school in Lemoore from then on and was a proud member of the LHS Class of ’35. Lemoore, at this time, was made of many local families who maintain strong ties even now. A member of one of these families – C.E. “Scrub” Short – had been a friend of Wanda’s older brother – Huston, or Squirts as we all knew him. When Scrub came back from his first enlistment in the USN in the 1930’s, Squirt’s little sister, Wanda, had grown up and they were soon married in March of 1940. They were to be married for 52 years until Scrub’s death in November 1992. It was a 52 year adventure! The day after Pearl Harbor, Scrub drove to Fresno and re-enlisted in the Navy. While waiting for his ship to be built, Scrub was sent to NYC. Wanda joined him and they lived in NYC for about 12 weeks seeing Joe DiMaggio play at Yankee Stadium, Roy Rogers perform, Frank Sinatra sing, and Joe Lewis box at Madison Square Garden. And so was born Wanda’s well known urge to travel. After Scrub departed for the South Pacific, Wanda returned to Lemoore to work at the Post Office at the original Lemoore Army Air Force Base.

After two years at sea, Scrub returned to the States and was stationed at The Philadelphia Naval Yard. The two spent 13 months in Philly, once again, enjoying life on the East Coast. At the end of the war, when Scrub was finally discharged, they returned to Lemoore, taking up residence at the Veteran’s Housing project where they made many lifelong friends. Their first daughter, Kathleen, was born there. Later the family moved to Stratford where Scrub had started a gas station business. Wanda was always grateful he chose Stratford as he had been contemplating one in Huron! Their daughter, Nancy, was born while they lived in the little house on Fourth St. Wanda was the long time Secretary/Treasurer of the Stratford Irrigation District as well as the school secretary at Stratford Elementary, from where she retired in 1986. Wanda was a member of the Stratford Presbyterian Church, where she served as an Elder, Deacon and Church Treasurer. The Stratford Church then joined with Lemoore Presbyterian Church in 1967, where Wanda has attended faithfully until her move to Fresno to be closer to her family.

Survivors include her daughters and their husbands, Kathleen and Joe Bezerra of Clovis, and Nancy and Chuck Cobery of Danville. Seven grandchildren; Ryan and Tracie Bezerra of Davis, Dana and Rob Prancrazi of NYC, Jamie Bezerra of Newhall, Serena and Karl Lienau of Santa Rosa, ENS. Sarah Mora, USN Pearl Harbor, Paul Bezerra of San Diego and Kevin Bezerra of San Luis Obispo. Two great grandchildren also survive, Rachel and William Bezerra of Davis.