Theda Mae Gosser

Theda Mae Johnson-Gosser was born in Corona California, spring of 1924 Calvin Coolidge was the President. J. Edgar Hoover was appointed head of the FBI. In New York City the first Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade was held and Rhapsody in Blue, by George Gershwin, is performed for the first time on Broadway. Thedas father Roscoe, a member of the Masonic lodge, was postmaster of Corona and a civic leader. It was Roscoe who was given the honor of throwing the switch that lit electric street lights on Grand Blvd for the first time. Thedas mother Mary, was a deeply religious woman with a gentle soul. Her two brothers Marvin and Harold both became Methodist Ministers and made the church their life. Middle child Harold made National headlines in 1930 when he emerged from the San Gorgonio wilderness after being lost for six days on a Boy Scout hike. Tired and hungry, 12 year old Harold Johnson walked into a fish hatchery in Banning and told the proprietor that if he would call the Post Office in Corona he thought his father might come and pick him up. Little did the boy know that his father had been searching the mountains with an army of volunteers for almost a week. Wilderness experts were beginning to tell Roscoe there was not much chance he would see his little boy again. They were all wrong. Theda was a big music lover. She joined the school choir as a child and showed promise. She enjoyed the music of her era and danced to swing and big band tunes all through her youth. At one point she became an accomplished singer herself. In 1939 she traveled to San Francisco with her vocal coach Mr. Farmer, to perform as a soloist. A performance all the way up in San Francisco was a pretty big deal for a teenager in 1939. A few years later, barely old enough to drink she met and started dating Bill Gosser. He was a Navy Officer who was a patient at the naval hospital where Theda worked as a telephone operator. Maybe it was the uniform, maybe the blue eyes but she was in love. They married in 1947 and less than 2 years later they had their first child Bill Gosser the 3rd. Billy was born with cerebral palsy and was not given much chance of survival at birth but with Thedas love he lived to be 62 years old and became a 32nd degree Mason. Beating everyones diagnosis from doctors to driving instructors for decades. In 1958 Theda gave birth to another son. They named him James after one of the couples greatest friends, Air Force pilot James Howell. They bought a house in Corona in 1963 and put down stakes. It was Alta Vista Ave, where a lifetime of memories and friendships would be made. The couple built a swimming pool that they thought would be good for both of their boys and it was. It became a magnet that drew the boys friends in and made their house a hangout. Thedas house would continue to be a hangout for many years to come. No matter the location. 1967 was a tough year, Theda and Bill divorced and all of a sudden she was in charge of everything. Taking care of Billy, raising Jamie and holding down a full time job for the first time in years. “Well, you cant just roll over and die” she used to say. So she got to work and after a few years at a dental office she decided it was time to quit working for someone else and opened her own business. Gosser Family Daycare. She loved people, she loved children, people have to work like she did to provide for their children so whos going to look after the children? This little business would touch, guide and comfort countless children and their parents for years. One great thing to come out of her time at the dental office was the friendship she developed with Kathy Uhles. She and Kathy would become lifelong friends. Theda always thought of Kathy as a daughter and loved her dearly. They spent many evenings after work having a few adult beverages at the Alta Vista poolside lounge. Their families have been tangled up in love and mischief for nearly 50 years. Thedas love of music grew stronger as she grew older. She loved Gershewin and Glen Miller, the crooners too like Sinatra, Dino and Sammy. But it was in the 1970s as a 50-something she discovered a sound coming from her teenage sons room. It was not like any of the crazy rock n roll stuff usually vibrating through her walls. This sounded like opera. The band was Queen and the vocalist she adored was Freddie Mercury. A singer herself she became a huge fan even asking for their music as a gift at Christmas time. Yes, a 53 year old asking for records at Christmas! She also became a very big fan of Elton John. Theda became such a fan that she accompanied her youngest son to one of Eltons concerts in 1986. The 62 year old enjoyed it so much she suggested that “Next time lets bring Bill. Hed love this!” And so the next tour, one year later they did take Bill and sat right in the middle of the Pacific Amphitheater. The entire night was a complete double-take for many teenage concert goers, likely thinking “who brought their mom to the show?” It was also a big night for Bill as it was his first rock concert and he was overwhelmed saying “weve got to do this again. This is great!” And so the next summer they went to see Elton again. This was all made possible by Jamies friend Pat Martine. He like so many others was enchanted by Theda. He loved her- “she reminds me of my Momma back home in New York” he would say. They met at an after show dinner and next thing you know hes saying “Were taking your mom to see Elton”. Here was the L.A. representative for MCA Records in Las Vegas to meet with his client Jamie, the Program Director of KYRK. Did they go to the casinos for hours of drinking and gambling? No, theyre over at Caesars having dinner with grandma. He started sending Elton John CDs to Thedas house! She had that effect on people. They wanted ownership of her. Sir Elton John was not Thedas first Rock concert however. No, she and Bette Reincke went to see Jamie on stage at a 4th of July Battle of the Bands concert in 1977 that turned into a full blown riot. Anaheim Police in riot gear were called in to restore order, all because festival goers were “openly smoking Marijuana in public”. And here are these two 50 somethings, Theda and Bette right in the middle. Dont know how they got out of that one but it was probably something like- “get that baton out of my face young man, Im old enough to be your mother”! Theda had a real partner in crime while raising a latch-key teenager during the crazy 1970s. Bette Reincke was the mother of Jamies best friend Steve who lived just 2 doors down on Alta Vista. Bette was divorced right about the same time as Theda so they got each other through those troubled times. Usually with a big glass of wine, or two. These two were a real dynamic duo. They were determined to give their kids everything all the other kids had. Take em to the beach, take em to the mountains, baseball, boy scouts, band practice. Bette had a full size Pick-up truck with a cab-over camper and she took that group everywhere! From Idyllwild to Laguna Beach, Salton Sea to Crater Lake. The Superhero Moms of Alta Vista Theda and Bette. The swimming pool turned into a money pit and so it was goodbye to the house on Alta Vista and hello Kelly Street. These were difficult times for everyone. America saw their president resign and lines form at the gas pumps. Difficult times at home too. Billy was trying to push himself all over the Chaffey College campus to capture his degree while Jamie was only pushing the volume limits with his band and underage drinking. Yet with both of these battles being waged under her roof she still managed time for others in need. Jamie had a habit of bringing home his friends who were in less that agreeable living situations and without batting an eye she would offer the sanctuary of her home. She had many couch-surfers in those days who all painted different memories on the walls of her life and who all came away with a little more hope than when they arrived. Theda embraced another role later in her life after macular degeneration robbed her of her eyesight. She became a mentor. Not just to her family but to nearly everyone she spent any time with. She was always a good listener but with what she had been through in her life she was equipped with the patients, knowledge and strength to help others through their own troubles. Madaam Zelda they called her at one Halloween party where she sat in a darkly lit room and told fortunes but, “Mom” is what many called her with their heads laid gently in her lap. Little Billy who was not supposed to make it through the night, weekend, or to his first birthday wound up a Master Mason. Theda had a lot to do with that accomplishment. Once again she was determined to help her son achieve something he wanted very badly. Even if it meant changing the policy of a thousand year old organization. But thats exactly what they did together. With the help of many forward thinking and influential Masons they changed the rules of the Masonic Temple forever. Theda and Bill convinced them to allow a handicapped man into their fellowship for the first time. Absolutely Groundbreaking. That Masonic relationship would last through to the end of both of their lives. Theda and Bill lived together, taking care of each other for 62 years. The Masonic Temple was so moved and impressed by the passion and determination of these two that they vowed to take care of them for the remainder of their lives and they continue their support even today. Thedas youngest son, to her delight followed his mother into the world of music. School choir at first and garage bands in High School. Jamie would find his place in the radio broadcasting world where he has spent more than 40 years. In the twilight of her life Theda was able to sit by the radio and listen to her son play Elton John and Queen songs on KLOS while he sent her coded messages over the air that only they or someone very close would be able to decipher. The greatest joy of Thedas life was children. She loved her boys endlessly and through Jamies wife Kris, finally had the daughter she always wanted. Jamie and Kris were able to give her three Grandchildren. Samantha, Danielle and Sean. Theda had always said she wanted to have 3 boys and three girls and Sean completed her dream 3 boys, 3 girls. Her life blossomed again with the birth or her Great Granddaughter Anahlie Rae who she saw as a reward for her longevity. She doted on them all and bowed to nearly every one of their requests. Nearly every one. Helping to raise these little ones was the inspiration for her daycare business. That and the need for a revenue stream but she would have paid you to look after these kids. She loved them so much and will share hundreds of memories with them forevermore. Stories in our memories is what we are left with in this time of passing and Theda, through the people she has touched has created thousands of them. Memorial Location Not Available Friday 8/25, 11:00 am