Sibyl Louise Moretta
May 31, 1943 — April 7, 2017
Sibyl was an alchemist at her core. Everything she touched, transformed; simple ingredients became fine feasts, mismatched fabric became intricate quilts, lost lives found home in her loving arms.
Born near Lubbock, Texas and settling in California, Sibyl, her sister Peggy, and her Mom, who was also named Sibyl, made the very best with what they had- never thinking of themselves as poor but instead, rich with the kind of care and creativity that God made miracles from.
Sibyl, affectionately referred to as Baby, was imparted with her Mom’s tender touch: hand-making clothes, costumes, quilts, and cards, feeding all who stepped foot into her home, and gifting her family above and beyond their means.
Intelligent and determined, Sibyl pulled her family up by the bootstraps, working and going to school full-time at Long Beach State. It was there that she first caught the eyes of a special young man- Patrick Moretta, who told her that he wanted to grow old with her on their very first date. This was the type of love that stirred between them- more than a fleeting feeling, but rather, a deep knowing that could be felt in all it animated.
That first date- a walk around Balboa Island, was the beginning of over 50 years worth of steps they would take side by side throughout their lives. They skipped, they stumbled, and they sashayed, but they never stopped. Just a few weeks’ shy of their 50th wedding anniversary, Sibyl is sure to be dancing in heaven, celebrating all the steps they took on this Earth together.
After they were married in 1967, Sibyl just one-month short of 25 years old and Pat, a few weeks into 25, moved to Seal Beach, California where they began the adventure of doing life together. In 1969, they moved to Dallas, Texas while Patrick finished up a Masters degree in US History and Southwestern Studies at Southern Methodist University. In April of 1970, they had their first daughter, Kristen.
After Patrick received his degree, they moved back to California, where Sibyl found them a little house in Old Town, Seal Beach. It was in October of 1972 that they had their second daughter, Amy, and their family of three became a family of four.
Sibyl was an animal lover and taught her children the value of taking care of others through many beloved pets. While Pat was teaching at Carson High School, Sibyl was raising the girls and starting to go back to school to become a registered nurse.
Pat and Sib also decided to team up, building a number of houses throughout Seal and Sunset Beach. Sib would design and Pat would do the contracting, along with his brother Ron Milhorn and Sib’s nephew turned surrogate son, Ron McMahan. Many of the houses that they designed are emulated by builders in town today.
Summers were always a special time filled with beach volleyball and strolls down Main St. Pat would take the girls sunset boogey boarding while Sib would cook up a storm and they would reconvene for a great meal.
Sibyl always understood the value of breaking bread together. And she was an anchor that seemed to draw people of all backgrounds into one room. Later in her life, she hosted Sunday night dinners where the entire family and many friends would gather every week to saturate each other in love, laughter, and delicious food.
Sibyl proudly received her nursing degree and became an RN around 1980, starting first at a hospital, and then transitioning into a school nurse in the Los Angeles Unified School District where she later became a CDC nurse.
Sibyl was humble, never taking credit for all the ways in which she made an everyday experience- a fond memory, a house – a home, and a friendship- a family. She was unique in the way she loved people in that she loved whole heartedly- never holding back and always knowing what every person needed, sometimes more than they did.
In 1982, the family moved to a new house on The Hill in Seal Beach and another healthy girl, Elizabeth, was added to the family in 1986. Sibyl’s mother then moved back in with them and they were able to enjoy their Nana at home for six years before she passed in 1992.
Then in 1997, Sib received a call from her niece asking her to adopt her two grand nieces who were going to be separated in foster care. Without hesitation, she agreed and two more daughters, Amiya and Katrina, were added to the family- giving Sibyl five daughters, which she had always wanted.
A mother of many, she kept a great household and was a fount of wisdom and intellect. From cheer, to dance, to soccer, to lacrosse, to schoolwork, and so much more, she supported all her daughters with everything she had. Self sacrificing, she did everything she could for her family, including fighting illness for so long without ever complaining or letting on just how much she was enduring.
She was diagnosed with amyloidosis in 2005 and then after a stem cell transplant, went into remission for 8 years. In these years, Sibyl was stronger than ever, continuing to be an amazing, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and wife. A lover of good books, good wine, and good conversation- she was witty and sassy with a heart that made people strive to be better because she had a way of showing them the best in themselves.
The queen of Scrabble, Spades, and all things crafty, she often made things better than they could be bought and had a knack for turning even the hardest situations into manageable ones. She was pro Hawaii, road trips, and basking in God’s beauty- often relishing in life’s simple pleasures like watching birds in the backyard. She loved to listen to music, dance, and always held her class, no matter what condition she was in, her dignity and grace remained intact. She was respected and loved and everyone could feel the fullness of who she was. Her presence was palpable; supportive, strong, and secure. Her nest was a place of rest for so many birds.
On March 5th she called all her daughters to her bedside because she had a feeling that she was going to go ahead to Heaven. Although it wasn’t her last night, it bears witness to the type of intuitiveness she possessed and that even before her family knew she was reaching her last breaths, she gathered them together one last time in her presence to say goodbye- reminding them how much she loved each of them and acting out her final wish: that they stayed together and remained rooted in what mattered, love.
After battling in the hospital for a full month, Sibyl came home and spent one more night with her loving husband and on April 7th 2017 with her husband and all five daughters around her, she went ahead to make a nest for the family in Heaven where they will spend eternal life together with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Born on May 31st 1943 to Alva Scott and Sibyl Smith, Sibyl Moretta died just a few weeks short of 74. Her love flows on through her adoring husband, Patrick Moretta of 50 years and the many lives they touched together as educators, nurturers, and lovers of people.
Sibyl’s spirit lives on through her daughter Kristen and husband Joseph, her daughter Amy and husband Jack, her daughter Elizabeth and husband Jeffrey, her daughters Amiya and Katrina and her grandchildren, Patrick, Dylan, Grant, Jordyn, Joey, Wyatt, and Ryder- all which reside in Seal Beach.
Other surviving family include her nephew, Ron and his wife Maxine and their children: Grady, Rafferty, Mullyn, Reilly, and Charlie. She is also survived by her nephew Jason, his wife Brooke, and their daughter Charlee as well as her brother in law Ron, his wife Randalea and their children: Brock, Boyd and Bryann.
The celebration of Sibyl’s life will be held on April 29th at 2 p.m. at Cornerstone Church in Long Beach.
The family intends to raise funds for a memorial bench and plaque in memory of Sibyl in the city of Seal Beach. If you would like to donate, please go to:
https://www.youcaring.com/themorettafamily-809290
Condolences may be sent to the family through our website.
Born near Lubbock, Texas and settling in California, Sibyl, her sister Peggy, and her Mom, who was also named Sibyl, made the very best with what they had- never thinking of themselves as poor but instead, rich with the kind of care and creativity that God made miracles from.
Sibyl, affectionately referred to as Baby, was imparted with her Mom’s tender touch: hand-making clothes, costumes, quilts, and cards, feeding all who stepped foot into her home, and gifting her family above and beyond their means.
Intelligent and determined, Sibyl pulled her family up by the bootstraps, working and going to school full-time at Long Beach State. It was there that she first caught the eyes of a special young man- Patrick Moretta, who told her that he wanted to grow old with her on their very first date. This was the type of love that stirred between them- more than a fleeting feeling, but rather, a deep knowing that could be felt in all it animated.
That first date- a walk around Balboa Island, was the beginning of over 50 years worth of steps they would take side by side throughout their lives. They skipped, they stumbled, and they sashayed, but they never stopped. Just a few weeks’ shy of their 50th wedding anniversary, Sibyl is sure to be dancing in heaven, celebrating all the steps they took on this Earth together.
After they were married in 1967, Sibyl just one-month short of 25 years old and Pat, a few weeks into 25, moved to Seal Beach, California where they began the adventure of doing life together. In 1969, they moved to Dallas, Texas while Patrick finished up a Masters degree in US History and Southwestern Studies at Southern Methodist University. In April of 1970, they had their first daughter, Kristen.
After Patrick received his degree, they moved back to California, where Sibyl found them a little house in Old Town, Seal Beach. It was in October of 1972 that they had their second daughter, Amy, and their family of three became a family of four.
Sibyl was an animal lover and taught her children the value of taking care of others through many beloved pets. While Pat was teaching at Carson High School, Sibyl was raising the girls and starting to go back to school to become a registered nurse.
Pat and Sib also decided to team up, building a number of houses throughout Seal and Sunset Beach. Sib would design and Pat would do the contracting, along with his brother Ron Milhorn and Sib’s nephew turned surrogate son, Ron McMahan. Many of the houses that they designed are emulated by builders in town today.
Summers were always a special time filled with beach volleyball and strolls down Main St. Pat would take the girls sunset boogey boarding while Sib would cook up a storm and they would reconvene for a great meal.
Sibyl always understood the value of breaking bread together. And she was an anchor that seemed to draw people of all backgrounds into one room. Later in her life, she hosted Sunday night dinners where the entire family and many friends would gather every week to saturate each other in love, laughter, and delicious food.
Sibyl proudly received her nursing degree and became an RN around 1980, starting first at a hospital, and then transitioning into a school nurse in the Los Angeles Unified School District where she later became a CDC nurse.
Sibyl was humble, never taking credit for all the ways in which she made an everyday experience- a fond memory, a house – a home, and a friendship- a family. She was unique in the way she loved people in that she loved whole heartedly- never holding back and always knowing what every person needed, sometimes more than they did.
In 1982, the family moved to a new house on The Hill in Seal Beach and another healthy girl, Elizabeth, was added to the family in 1986. Sibyl’s mother then moved back in with them and they were able to enjoy their Nana at home for six years before she passed in 1992.
Then in 1997, Sib received a call from her niece asking her to adopt her two grand nieces who were going to be separated in foster care. Without hesitation, she agreed and two more daughters, Amiya and Katrina, were added to the family- giving Sibyl five daughters, which she had always wanted.
A mother of many, she kept a great household and was a fount of wisdom and intellect. From cheer, to dance, to soccer, to lacrosse, to schoolwork, and so much more, she supported all her daughters with everything she had. Self sacrificing, she did everything she could for her family, including fighting illness for so long without ever complaining or letting on just how much she was enduring.
She was diagnosed with amyloidosis in 2005 and then after a stem cell transplant, went into remission for 8 years. In these years, Sibyl was stronger than ever, continuing to be an amazing, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and wife. A lover of good books, good wine, and good conversation- she was witty and sassy with a heart that made people strive to be better because she had a way of showing them the best in themselves.
The queen of Scrabble, Spades, and all things crafty, she often made things better than they could be bought and had a knack for turning even the hardest situations into manageable ones. She was pro Hawaii, road trips, and basking in God’s beauty- often relishing in life’s simple pleasures like watching birds in the backyard. She loved to listen to music, dance, and always held her class, no matter what condition she was in, her dignity and grace remained intact. She was respected and loved and everyone could feel the fullness of who she was. Her presence was palpable; supportive, strong, and secure. Her nest was a place of rest for so many birds.
On March 5th she called all her daughters to her bedside because she had a feeling that she was going to go ahead to Heaven. Although it wasn’t her last night, it bears witness to the type of intuitiveness she possessed and that even before her family knew she was reaching her last breaths, she gathered them together one last time in her presence to say goodbye- reminding them how much she loved each of them and acting out her final wish: that they stayed together and remained rooted in what mattered, love.
After battling in the hospital for a full month, Sibyl came home and spent one more night with her loving husband and on April 7th 2017 with her husband and all five daughters around her, she went ahead to make a nest for the family in Heaven where they will spend eternal life together with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Born on May 31st 1943 to Alva Scott and Sibyl Smith, Sibyl Moretta died just a few weeks short of 74. Her love flows on through her adoring husband, Patrick Moretta of 50 years and the many lives they touched together as educators, nurturers, and lovers of people.
Sibyl’s spirit lives on through her daughter Kristen and husband Joseph, her daughter Amy and husband Jack, her daughter Elizabeth and husband Jeffrey, her daughters Amiya and Katrina and her grandchildren, Patrick, Dylan, Grant, Jordyn, Joey, Wyatt, and Ryder- all which reside in Seal Beach.
Other surviving family include her nephew, Ron and his wife Maxine and their children: Grady, Rafferty, Mullyn, Reilly, and Charlie. She is also survived by her nephew Jason, his wife Brooke, and their daughter Charlee as well as her brother in law Ron, his wife Randalea and their children: Brock, Boyd and Bryann.
The celebration of Sibyl’s life will be held on April 29th at 2 p.m. at Cornerstone Church in Long Beach.
The family intends to raise funds for a memorial bench and plaque in memory of Sibyl in the city of Seal Beach. If you would like to donate, please go to:
https://www.youcaring.com/themorettafamily-809290
Condolences may be sent to the family through our website.
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