Lilla C. Sears

passed away on Friday, April 10, 2015 at Island Health and Rehabilitation Center on Bainbridge Island, Washington. She was born on December 20, 1920 and was 94 years of age.Lilla spent twenty years grooming and raising poodles, owning pet shops with her husband until retirement. She also obtained her private pilots license to fly with her husband throughout the Southwest.Lilla was the youngest of four daughters born to Robert and Gertrude Krull. They lived on their father's fruit tree farm in Ojai, California until she was 5 years old when her father died. Life on the farm was difficult for her mother raising four daughters alone. The farm was ultimately sold and they moved to Los Angeles. Growing up in Los Angeles was much better than the farm for many reasons, one inside plumbing as she told her story. Growing up she had many friends and sorority sisters who each summer would vacation in Laguna Beach. Lil met Chuck in high school and were married shortly before World War II. Two years later Chuck joined the Air Force. During the war she worked at Lockheed Aircraft building airplane wings. She told the story of air raids in Laguna Beach, California when everyone had to turn out all the lights and pull shades during the air raid drills.After the war and several business opportunities later, they bought a pet shop and discovered they both had a real desire to help people with their pets. They created their own brand of dog food and sold it throughout Southern California. Lil learned to groom dogs and had customers as far away as Las Vegas who would fly their dogs to her for grooming every couple of weeks. Lil and Chuck worked together for more than 20 years. Upon retirement they moved to Chico Beach, Washington. Lil enjoyed fishing, clamming and crabbing.Lil loved her grandchildren and they would spend the summers with them, to every ones delight. The only chore she ever gave them was picking up the apples that fell from the several trees in the yard, then off to fishing, boating or traveling looking for a better fishing spot.She is greatly missed by her family and friends. Lilla is survived by her son Larry C Sears Sr. (Renee) of Bainbridge Island, WA, Richard W. Sears (Leslie) of Ely, Nevada and grandson's Larry C Sears, Jr. (Heather) of Corona, California and Clayton W. Sears (Lisa) of Santa Ana, California. She was preceded in death by her husband Charles W. Sears. Services will be private. Arrangements entrusted to Cook Family Funeral Home.