Astra Gabriel

Astra Gabriel, a Livermore resident and Lab retiree, died July 30 after battling cancer. She was 69.

Born Oct. 8, 1942, in Latvia, she grew up in the United States. She lived in Ohio until she moved to California with her family in 1960.

She graduated from Armstrong College with a business degree in 1968. While married and raising two children, she continued her education at St Mary's College where she received her master's degree in 1979.

She worked at Hexcel for 14 years and at LLNL for 18 years. She also had several side businesses, such as Weekenders, Herbalife and a travel agency. She enjoyed traveling the world and was involved in many clubs and organizations such as ski clubs, dive club, church and support groups. She enjoyed snow skiing, scuba, biking, hiking, photography, wine tasting, dancing, cooking and entertaining friends.

She is survived by two daughters, Debbie Phelps of Livermore and Renee Pletcher of Brookings, Ore.; her grandaughter, Samantha Pletcher; two sons-in-law, Gregg Phelps and Ron Pletcher; her significant other, D. Steven James of Castro Valley; her two cousins, Gil Grieze from Lake Almanor, Calif. and Ed Grieze and his wife, Kate from Westminster, Colo.; and, her goddaughter, Baiba Tolpeznikova of Latvia.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at St Philip Lutheran Church in Dublin. Burial will be in the Circle of Peace Mausoleum at the Chapel of the Chimes in Hayward, Calif.