Annette Penney Geare, long-time resident of Nevada County, passed away suddenly at home on January 4, 2023 at age 71. The daughter of Olinquid Clarence Penney and Narvell Lynelia Turner, Annette was born on October 17, 1951, in Oakland, California. She spent her childhood surrounded by her many sisters and a brother. She graduated from Berkeley High School in 1969. After high school, in order to take care of an ailing uncle, Annette moved to Los Angeles for a while then attended Sonoma State College where she majored in Business and African American Studies. While she was working at Bookpeople in Berkeley in 1982, an employee-owned and operated book wholesaler and distributor based in the San Francisco Bay Area, she met, was hired by, and married her husband, Dennis. They were married for 41 years. Their beloved daughter, Sacha, was born in 1982. In 1995, a job required a cross-country move to Montclair, New Jersey but in 2000 they settled for good in Grass Valley.
Those are facts. But what is a life really? If it is judged by how well it is lived, then Annette’s was superb! She never passed up a party. If there was a musical concert, she was up on her feet, dancing and waving her arms even if everyone else was sitting. She often said that she couldn’t sing, but that never stopped her from doing it anyway; her favorite musical artists were The Temptations and Stevie Wonder. She called herself a west coaster, born and bred. She adored children and they loved her. She was a proud African American woman. And, she was an amazing chef, passionate about food in all its aspects. Annette cooked for her family from the time she was a child, learning at the side of her father, who, his son-in-law said, could grill cardboard and make it taste like heaven. She attended the San Francisco Culinary Academy in 1993, taking Advanced Professional Cooking classes and founded a catering business called “Delicious Culinary Assistance.” No matter the occasion, Annette always contributed food or menu planning. Many of her jobs in Grass Valley concerned that subject – she worked at Sur La Table, Williams Sonoma, Mardi Gras Catering & Deli, the Wooden Spoon and Ensemble Design. On the dish of life, Annette was the hot sauce. With her great sense of humor and her uninhibited participatory spirit, Annette was a gift to us all. The next time you are stirring the pot, pause on that gumbo. She will be cooking in heaven.
Annette is survived by her husband, Dennis and daughter, Sacha Lynelia Geare, as well as sisters Barbara Carson of Altadena, Kathy Jenkins of Carmichael, and brother Clarence Penney of Rohnert Park. She also leaves a host of nieces and nephews and too many friends to count. She was predeceased by her parents and her sisters Yvonne Wade and Roslyn Penney. Annette’s beloved family and friends are invited to “Annette’s Gone Fishing Party” to celebrate her life. (Many of you know that Annette’s husband, Dennis, is a fisherman. Every fall, he would take off for a week or two and Annette would throw one whopper of a party which usually lasted days and often went into the night; the food and liquor flowed as did the laughter and goodwill. She always called it “Dennis Gone Fishing Party.”) The celebration will be held on January 29th from 1:00pm to 5:30pm at Nevada County Horsemen, 10600 Bubbling Wells Rd. Grass Valley. No RSVP is necessary but if you would like to tell a story about Annette or send any photos please email annettegeare2023@gmail.com.