Olea Mae Babbel Woolf Obituary (1924 - 2012)

Olea Mae Babbel Woolf, age 88, passed away peacefully in her home in Laguna Niguel, CA, surrounded by family and friends on September 5, 2012, due to complications of Lewy Body Dementia.Born in Twin Falls, ID, on May 28, 1924, the daughter of Frederick August and Lena Lamprecht Babbel, Olea was the 7th child of 9 children, her parents being immigrants from Germany. Olea had a strong adventuresome spirit, boundless energy, great enthusiasm, lived unselfishly and loved life. She graduated from Brigham Young University in 1946 in Bacteriology and completed her 5th year certification as a Medical Technologist at Stanford Medical Hospital in San Francisco.In 1947, she married Anthony DeVoe Woolf in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Olea and Anthony had 7 children during the next 12 years and resided in El Cerrito, CA, for over 40 years. Although she had a long career in Hematology at Samuel Merritt Hospital in Oakland, CA, Olea’s first devotion was to her family and her faith in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she enthusiastically served among the children and the youth. She had a great love for reading, nature, travel, music, singing, and most of all, people. She was blessed with many gifts but her family believes her greatest gift was her ability to manifest her love for people in her everyday actions.Olea and Anthony retired to Auburn, CA, living a wonderful life together for over 20 years in the foothills of the Sierras before moving to Laguna Niguel, CA, to live with their daughter, Joyce, for the past 2 years.Olea is survived by her husband, Anthony; her children, Cheryl (Jay) Munns of West Covina, CA; Joyce Woolf of Laguna Niguel, CA; John (Gayle) Woolf of Murray, UT; Fred (Melissa) Woolf of Alpharetta, GA; Marlene (Kelly) Gallacher of Granite Bay, CA; Sandy (Bill) Marble of Woodland, CA; and William (Alycia) Woolf of Park City, UT; her sister, Pearl (Wendell) Schenk of Twin Falls, ID, her sister-in-law, Ivie Babbel of Manti, UT; and her sister-in-law, Mary Woolf, of Georgetown, TX. She is also survived by her 26 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.She will be greatly missed but her influence will be felt for many generations. Her family wants to thank her recent caregivers and hospice workers. A viewing will be held on September 17, 2012, at 9:30 a.m. with services at 11:00 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3050 Mojave Lane, Provo, UT. Interment: East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery. In addition, friends and relatives are invited to the home of John & Gayle Woolf, Sunday, September 16th at 7:00 p.m. to visit with family members.