Philomena Eccles

Philomena Catherine Eccles Born on February 18, 1934, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Philomena passed away peacefully in Sacramento on April 18, 2013 surrounded by her family. Philomena was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother of a loving family. Faith, family, and friends were foremost in her life. She was preceded in death by her parents John and Antoinette Ragas, her sister Marie Ragas Holmes, and her brother John Francis Ragas. She is survived by her loving family, her husband Thomas J. Eccles, and children Lisa Nelson, Christiane Layton (Matthew), Pamela Cruze (Lenny), Thomas Eccles (Judy), Scott Eccles (Anna) and Nancy Smith (Gordon), her brothers Donald Ragas (Betty), Kenneth Ragas (Helen), and Gary Ragas (Hally), 12 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, her sister in-law Carolyn Anderson (Roy), and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Philomena was particularly devoted to her grandchildren: Krista (Jamie), Paul (Nicole), Eric, Elissa, Katie, Amanda, Dana, Stephen, Brennan, Emma, Tanner and Levi; and great-grandchildren: Sydney, Alivia, Caden, Cory, Jesse, and Isaiah. Philomena will always be remembered for her kindness, her love for and devotion to her family and friends, for her good sense of humor through good times and through adversity, and for her trust and faith in Christ. She loved to travel to religious shrines in Europe and the USA. She always enjoyed visiting her birthplace, the French Quarter in New Orleans. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 3159 Land Park Drive in Sacramento. Burial at Calvary Catholic Cemetery immediately followed. Remembrances may be made to Yolo Hospice. The family would like to especially thank the staffs of Carlton Crown Plaza, Sacramento, and Yolo Hospice for their wonderful care of Philomena.