Elizabeth (Liz) Rutherford Piscitello, 89, died in Modesto after many months of failing health.  Elizabeth was born on September 17, 1923 in Oakland, California to Lawrence and Lucy Watson.  After losing her father to pneumonia in 1928, she  and her sister, Marilou, moved with their mother to Martinez, CA.  She attended elementary schools in Martinez, but attended junior and senior high school in Berkeley.  She attended University of California at Davis until it was shut down to become a military camp.  With the outbreak of war, she worked in the East Bay Area until marrying her college beau, Alfred Edward (Sam) Rutherford on November 4, 1944.  Sam and Liz had three children, James, Robert, and Deborah and lived both in Oakdale and Valley Home during which time Sam was an Agriculture teacher at Oakdale High School from 1950 – 1972.  Liz took every chemistry course offered at Modesto Junior College. She began a most exciting career at Shell Development and Research in Salida as a researcher and lab assistant in the plant pathology lab.  She dreamed of becoming a travel agent, so after the death of Sam in 1972, she began organizing trips for groups. One of the first was a major journey to New Zealand  and one of the members on the tour was a friend from Oakdale, Carl Piscitello.  They renewed their friendship and they married January 1, 1982.  After selling the Rutherford farm in Valley Home, Liz and Carl moved to Turlock and enjoyed many years of traveling the world over.  Liz spent 25 years researching her family origin and published a genealogy book which received a Library of Congress number. Liz never met a stranger and opened her home to many traveling agriculture students from England.  If asked for a favorite food, she would most definitely say dark chocolate, with Dungeness Crab coming in second. She encouraged her children and grandchildren to explore all things, ask questions, and never turn down an adventure.  Her legacy will live on through her family and friends.  She is survived by her husband, Carl, 98; sister, Marilou Staples, 86; children James, Robert (Marti), Deborah (Terry), grandchildren Tiffany, Shanna, Alicia, Ian, Erik Rutherford; and, Kristopher (Amanda) and Jonathan (Rikki) Stenson; Great granddaughter Anabel Marie; Carl’s children Richard(Linda), Judie (Jim Schlichtmann), and Jim and many Piscitello grandchildren and great grandchildren who loved her and will miss her terribly. In place of a formal service, anyone who would like to write a memory may email it to: Debbie Lane darlane32@earthlink.net.  At Mom’s request I am going to continue her family history by including one more chapter called: Epilogue – A Farewell to Liz.  This will become a multi-perspective, portrait of a wonderful woman.  Remembrances may be made to: The Gallo Center for
the Arts http://www.galloarts.org/SupportUs/MemorialGifts.aspx;