Allene Bacca

Allene Lillian Bacca passed away peacefully at her cherished home on the morning of August 12, 2023. Her passing was as graceful and serene as the life she had lived, fulfilling her heartfelt desire to maintain her independence as she peacefully slipped away while reclining on her favorite couch. Allene leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, and a lifetime of precious moments.

Allene Lillian Bacca was born on October 4th, 1935. She grew up in Roberts, Idaho She loved living in Roberts and was very proud of where she came from with many lifelong friends that she had maintained for 80+ years. She always commented that she had a great and happy childhood living in the small town, she told stories of having a paper route on her bicycle and getting a $1 bill bonus gift at the Post Register Christmas banquet. She learned to drive as a young girl while helping her Dad deliver mail. She graduated from Roberts High School in 1953, that fall she went off to college at Idaho State College (now Idaho State University) she took college life by storm loving every minute of it. She joined the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, she was involved in all social activities, dances, homecoming royalty, etc. She graduated from Idaho State in 1957 with a Bachelor's Degree in Education. After college, she started working at the INEL (Westinghouse). While working at the site she met the love of her life, a handsome dude, a Metallurgical Engineer from Colorado (Paul Bacca). They dated for a few years and got married on August 1st, 1959, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Idaho Falls. During this time, she was a Home Economics teacher at Bonneville High School. In January 1962, she stopped working as a teacher to start and raise a family. Her son Curtis was born and then in 1964, her daughter Jolene was born. Later in the summer of 1964, they moved into a new house that her husband Paul designed in a new upcoming neighborhood " Jennie Lee". This was their home for the rest of their lives. She lived happily there for 59 years. She was the ultimate Mom, the heart and soul of her family. Throughout the years, she dedicated herself to raising Curtis & Jolene with unwavering love and devotion. Those years were marked by cherished traditions, weekly family ski adventures to Grand Targhee, Sun Valley, and Jackson, as well as the annual family pilgrimage to San Diego to visit relatives, the beach, Disneyland, Dodgers & Padres games. One of her favorite activities over the years was playing tennis at the Idaho Falls Racquet Club with a great group of ladies. She also took the weekly ski bus from Idaho Falls to Grand Targhee with her close friend and partner in crime, Anita Ferrin. Each week these trips were always epic, and legendary adventures. She was a very proud member of a group of neighborhood ladies called the "Homemakers" that met monthly for over 50 years. She really loved the friendship with all those women. She traveled the world with her husband both domestically and internationally on luxurious cruise ships to France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Malta. During this time, she also became a pseudo-grandmother for her next-door neighbors (Kari, Laurie & Megan Spofford).

In 2001, her first granddaughter was born Payton Lillian Bacca, she was so excited to be a grandmother and that her granddaughter was named after her. This was the day when she went from being Allene/Mom to just being called "NANA". She was destined to be a grandmother. She loved every moment of it. Her 2nd granddaughter Zoe Elizabeth Bacca was born in 2003. Nana was there for every "1st day" of school, every dance recital, soccer game, track meet, every holiday, and all the milestones in their life. In her later years, she enjoyed the twice-yearly visits by her daughter Jolene, who would travel from Seattle for a couple of months at a time to spend quality fun-filled days together with her laughing, talking, and of course watching tennis.

Words can hardly capture the essence of her. She was simply incredible, a beacon of kindness, sweetness, and unwavering love. She was our cute little Nana. Her caring nature extended to everyone fortunate enough to know her. She wasn't just a mother or Nana; she was the best friend to her daughter, her son, as well as her granddaughters and countless others. She was a unique and irreplaceable soul, an angel, and a true unicorn. Her absence leaves an unfillable void in our hearts. Her memory will endure eternally, a testament to the profound impact she had on us all. Her family considers itself truly blessed to have had her in their lives, and their love for her knows no bounds. Her legacy will forever shine brightly in our hearts. We love you, Nana! She is survived by her daughter Jolene Bacca of Seattle, Washington, her son Curtis (Debbie) Bacca of Ketchum, Idaho, and granddaughters Payton Bacca of Salt Lake City, Utah & Zoe Bacca of Huntington Beach, California. She was presided over in death by her husband of 61 years Paul Bacca, her parents Leo Charles Chehey & Berniece Elizabeth (Watts) Chehey, and her brother Charles Chehey.