Livia Dodero

Livia Dodero, 94, passed away after a short illness on June 19, 2018 in Santa Barbara, CA.

Livia was born in 1924 in Pontecorvo, Italy. Her family immigrated to the United States in 1927 and settled in Paterson, NJ.

During World War II, she joined the ranks of thousands of other “Rosie the Riveters,” helping to build planes for the war effort.

She met the young handsome Army Corp Officer, Louis Dodero, who became the love of her life. They married after the war, settled down and raised three children.

In 1963, they fulfilled a dream they had and moved to California.

Livia put her impressive cooking and managerial skills to work when she became the Cafeteria Manager at Dos Pueblos high school.

She also applied these skills for her parish church, St. Raphael’s in Goleta. She was on hand to organize and oversee their Friday Fish Dinners during Lent. But she really shined as the organizing spirit behind the Knights of Columbus annual Columbus Day Feast.

After Lou passed away, Livia turned her still considerable energies toward serving her church spiritually. She became a Carmelite Nun, a life-long dream, and a Eucharistic Minister for St. Raphael’s. In this capacity she devoted countless hours to visiting and ministering to the sick, allowing them to receive Communion in their sick beds.

Livia led a devoted Christian life and leaves behind a loving family of children, six grandchildren, three great grandchildren and friends too numerous to count. She will be dearly missed by all.