January 12, 1948 to June 30, 2023

Becky passed away calmly and peacefully during bedrest just like she wanted, from cancer-related digestion complications, and she is now at peace after about a year of ongoing pain and severe discomfort.

Photo Memories of Becky

More photos coming soon…

The top header photo is of the 300,000 year old Diamond Head volcano crater, and the surrounding Honolulu area on Oahu, Hawaii, where Becky was born and raised.

In her own words, here is her story…

My Story

Written By Rebecca Arline Moore Marlbrough, 2023

I was born on Monday, January 12, 1948 at Kapiolani Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. I was born early in the morning at 3:10 am. I was born butt first, not head first. I was 6 lb 14 oz and 19 1⁄2 inches long. My mom, dad and I lived on the Hickam Air Force base for two years. My parents had met on a ship, USS Lurline, while they were each looking for work in Hawaii. My mom was born in Dayton, Ohio and my dad was born in Rutland, Vermont. My dad had been working in the agricultural adjustment unit in Fort Collins Colorado. It was 1946 and they both wanted a new start during World War I. They got married on October 12, 1946. They never really talked about themselves. I know it was my mother’s first wedding and I was her first baby. My mother was 40 years old when I was born. My dad was 52 years old, 12 years older than my mother. My dad was an inspector of lab test equipment for the Army. My mother was formerly a supervisor of memorandum and records unit in the supply unit. She had lots of brothers and sisters and had been taking care of her mother for many years. My first home was Y-block, Hickam Village 1, Honolulu, Hawaii. On April 19, 1950 they bought a house for $14,500 at 2645 Lowry Ave, Manoa area of Honolulu. There were two houses on the lot. They rented out one, lived in the other one and never moved again. My brother Charlie was born on October 19, 1949 and my sister Rhoda was born on November 29, 1950.

I had to walk to school alone even when I was little and in kindergarten. It seemed like a long walk, maybe one mile. My mother worked full time as a secretary. My dad worked too. I remember one rainy morning I was walking alone. I had no raincoat or umbrella. A bus driver stopped and gave me a free ride to school. I was scared but cold and wet so I went with him. I never told anyone. I know I was not supposed to talk to strangers or go for a ride with a stranger.

Junior high school was for 7th, 8th and 9th grade. It was about 5 miles away. So I got picked up by a neighbor and dropped off at school very early. I had to wait in the school cafeteria about one hour before school started. I made friends and we helped each other with homework. I still remember the BIG cockroaches, almost 4 inches long. They were called “water bugs.” It was a big school. After school there were about 10 buses to take us all home. I remember I was always in bus #5.

High school was fun but hard work. Football was important. We got bussed to all the home games. We made large signs with letters on them to spell out words like “GO TEAM”. We practiced where to sit and when to put up our letter. There were no computers. All reports had to be typed, on a typewriter. If you wanted to move a paragraph you had to retype the report! I never went to a prom. You had to have a boyfriend and get a fancy outfit. Most boys I knew were from church and were off fighting in the Vietnam War. I had no fancy clothes. I made most of my clothes and sometimes went to a thrift store.

My first job was working in a bakery. I walked about 5 blocks to get there. The first thing they told me was to taste everything. I was 16 years old. I thought I was in heaven! I could try everything and not pay for it. I did not realize I would later hate the smell of a bakery. The smell became overpowering. I worked for 6 hours at a time. I sold pastries and worked the cash register.

For the next 3 summers I worked at Hickam Air Force base. I had to take 3 busses to get there and 3 busses to get home. I left home at 5:30am and got to work at 8am. Then I left work at 4pm and got home at 6pm. I first worked in an airplane hangar where they tested and repaired the planes. The next summer I worked for the pilots. I typed up their reports and ordered airplane parts using punch cards. I also typed a repair manual. The last summer I worked at headquarters, at the War Plan Department. I was the secretary. I had to keep schedules of all visitors. I kept the giant conference room clean and kept water and coffee available. I had a background check done and got a security clearance to work there. Vietnam War plans were always changing.

I met my boyfriend Bob at church when I was 16 years old. He was in the Navy. He was working on a guided missile destroyer. He worked as a cook and later did laundry for the crew. He went on four Westpac cruises to Vietnam while we got to know each. Each deployment was at least six months. There was no email. We wrote letters and had to number them so we could read them in the right order. Letters were dropped off by helicopters and picked up sporadically. We dated for four years. Bob got his high school GED certificate while in the Navy. We got married over the 4th of July weekend in 1968 and spent one night at the Halekaulani Hotel on the beach at Waikiki. I made my own simple white dress. My dad was not happy. He wanted me to finish college first. We paid for own wedding and reception at the First Baptist Church of Honolulu. I went back to college for last two years. Our first apartment was a studio. Every night we converted the sofa into a bed. It cost $80 a month. It was on South King Street. After my graduation from the University of Hawaii in May 1970, we moved to California to be near my in-laws. My father-in-law was on crutches. I was told it was from a train accident.

We lived with Uncle Ted and his family until baby Rob was born in August 1970. Later we got our own apartment in San Jose, CA. Bob rejoined the Navy and we moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. We visited Uncle Frank and his family in Alameda many weekends. Then the Navy sent us to San Diego. They packed all our belongings. I drove to San Diego with my mother-in-law Mary and baby Rob. We moved into Navy housing while Bob was overseas. Mary flew home and I spent many days at the San Diego Zoo with my baby, waiting for the truck with our belongings. We slept on the floor. The truck finally arrived and we settled in.

In March 1974 we moved into a duplex at 1304 Scott Dr, National City. It had a fenced in yard! Baby Ray was born in April. We got a black lab puppy named Lady. She guarded us all. Baby Rob sat on her tummy and she never complained. Bob was discharged from the Navy.

We moved to 531 E St, National City. It was a bigger apartment in a better neighborhood. I went back to work when Ray was 2 years old. I started a temporary job with the social security office. My mother-in-law worked at a social security office in Stockton. After a year I was upgraded to permanent part-time, working 39 hours a week. Then a year later I finally got a permanent full time job there with benefits!

In the meantime, Bob got jealous I think and curtailed my outside activities. He could go bowling but I could not. He drove the only car we had. I walked everywhere pushing the stroller or taking the bus. Things went downhill and I got divorced. My mother-in-law told me that her husband had always had multiple sclerosis! I started walking to the babysitter’s house, pushing a stroller, at 6am. I worked in Southeast San Diego. I got to work at 8am. June Ross let me borrow her car on rainy days. Harry Ross helped me look for a decent used car. I bought a 1969 Chevy Nova through the credit union! Then I got a promotion at work, but I had to drive to Pacific Beach. It’s a miracle I had a car to get me there. After a year I got another promotion. My job was in Chula Vista, closer to home.

One of my co workers told me she was moving and suggested I check out the duplex. I found out I was attending the same church as the landlord’s family. In fact, I knew Judy and Jimmy, their children, because I taught Sunday school for them! I did not have to pay a deposit and the rent was only $230 a month! So we moved to 1817 L Avenue, National City. The rent did go up a few times. We stayed there until 1990.

My dad died on December 22, 1983. He was 88 years old. He had Alzheimer’s disease for many years. He had been in a nursing home. Plane tickets over Christmas to Hawaii on short notice were impossible to get. He left money to each of us. I had no idea he had a lot of money. I bought a 1985 Buick Skyhawk car in cash!

My mother kept working. She liked her job and would not move. She was a secretary for the largest preschool on the island of Oahu. She was standing in line at the bank to cash her paycheck when she had a massive stroke. The ambulance took her to Kaiser Hospital. I flew over and stayed there for several weeks. She went to rehab but did not improve. Eventually my brother flew with her to Oregon. She spent her last days near my sister. She died June 12, 1989. She was 82 years old.

I bought a house at 28 South U Ave in National City with money from my mother’s estate. It was a single story 1,200 square foot home with four bedrooms and two bathrooms. We got two dogs, brother and sister, named Einstein and Kelly to keep us company. My sons lived with me until they graduated from college and got married. I retired from the social security office job in July 1999. I had started as a clerk-typist and left when I was a supervisor!

I relaxed, rested, and slept late for a while. Then I decluttered things and read books. I started volunteering at the National City library. I helped adults learn to read. I taught them to use a mouse and a computer. I got hired by the city to help run the literacy department. I worked part time and drove adults to seminars all around San Diego County sponsored by the San Diego Council on Literacy. I ordered books and computer programs. I had time to spend with Omar and Nicky, my grandsons.

I also went on a trip to Europe using the EuroRail pass. The trains were fast, dependable and clean. I visited seven countries in ten days with Carla, my daughter-in-law. We stayed in hotels and with Carla’s sister. We saw England, France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland and Italy. It was a memorable, marvelous trip.

In 2006 I relocated to Temecula CA to be near Ray and his young family. Rob was divorced and I no longer saw Omar and Nicky. The house in National City was rented out to Navy personnel for the next fifteen years. Ray was the property manager. I lived in a deluxe senior citizen apartment complex. I worked for the city of Temecula as a receptionist, part time. I also worked for the library part time.

Jason, Jordan and Justin were born in Temecula. I had three more grandsons! I worked at the library until I was 65 years old. I bought a condo in Temecula. Later I sold the house in National City. I continued working as a receptionist at the Senior Center until I was 70 years. I enjoy being part of Ray’s family. They watch out for me and I have lots of fun with all of them.