Our loving mother (Mom-moo), Claudia (Kookie) Diane Bertini Salva left us peacefully Dec. 5, 2008, while surrounded by her family and close friends after a courageous 19-month battle with inflammatory breast cancer.

She was born Aug 2, 1942 in Napa to Alvin Jacobsen and Jessie Jean Miller. She attended school in Napa but finished school at Las Lomas High School (1960) in Walnut Creek. She was a member of the National Baton Twirling Association where she competed and was in many parades as a majorette. In 1959, she was nominated for Walnut Festival Queen.

After high school, Claudia had several careers while she was raising her two daughters. She was a cocktail waitress at Orinda Country Club. After a short break, she pursued a career in the mortgage industry as an underwriter, then went to work for the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department as a clerk, where she loved her job and all the people she worked with. In 2004, she was named "Employee of the Year." However, after nine years of service and an extended leave due to her illmess, Claudia retired as a senior clerk in 2008.

Claudia loved the holidays spent with her family. She loved to shop and take her girls to yearly craft fairs. Every year she arranged for the family to vacation in her favorite house in Lake Tahoe. She loved animals and donated to many animal charities. She is missed by her two cats, Pugsley and Peep, who laid by her side all through her illness.

She was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her loving husband of 40 years, Russell Salva of Martinez; daughter Kim Wood and son-in-law Dan Crume of Antioch, and daughter Shawntel Plante and son-in-law Dominique Plante of Martinez; granddaughter Rachelle Crume of Antioch; and brother Mike Stevens.

Claudia was a very wonderful, loving and giving person. She always put other first. She was loved and will be missed by all.

"Mom, if love could have saved you, you would have lived forever."

In liew of flowers, you can make a donation to www.ibcresearch.org in honor of Claudia Salva.