San Jose, CA-- Cecelia Louise (Briggs) Milio passed away as the sun broke through the clouds at 7:45 am on November 15, 2016, with loving family at her side. She was 80 years of age.

She was born January 9, 1936 in Rhinebeck, NY, the youngest child of John Francis Briggs and Ruth Sackett Wurster.

Cecelia's father died in 1941 and, in time, her mother remarried (Elias Louis "Pop" Chorvas), gave birth to another son, and eventually moved the family to Poughkeepsie.

Cecelia attended public schools in Rhinebeck and Poughkeepsie.

Upon leaving high school, she married Vernon Samuel Schoonmaker, Junior, in Poughkeepsie. They were the parents of four children.

Cecelia moved to California in 1974, residing in Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and San Jose.

Not one to sit idle, she worked in New York as a waitress in diners and a nurse's aide in a hospital, and in California as a manager of lodges and motels and a medical clerk in nursing homes and retirement facilities. Along the way, she met and befriended many, including local and national politicians and stars of the stage and screen.

She enjoyed hosting family dinners, especially when all her children and grandchildren were present; reading newspapers, magazines and novels; traveling and sightseeing on the East and West Coast; playing dominoes, Yahtzee, Uno and bingo with family and friends; watching her favorite television shows; listening to her favorite radio programs; talking on the telephone with relatives and friends throughout the country; and visiting with neighbors up and down the street.

Her first marriage ended in divorce. She remarried, Gaetano "Tom" Salvatore Milio, in Santa Clara, CA. They were the parents of one child.

Cecelia was predeceased by her parents and stepfather, her siblings (John Francis Briggs; Gloria Jean Briggs Pottenburgh; Richard Joseph Briggs; and Larry Louis Chorvas), her first husband, her second husband, and her eldest child and only daughter, Patricia (Pat) Louise (Schoonmaker) Swartz.

Cecelia was buried next to Pat and Tom in the cool afternoon sunshine on November 21, 2016, after graveside services conducted by her spiritual guide and good neighbor Susan Hill at Gavilan Hills Memorial Park, Gilroy, CA.

Cecelia is survived by her sons: Victor Schoonmaker and wife; Vernon F. Schoonmaker and wife Janis; Jeffrey R. Schoonmaker; and John R. Milio.

She is survived by her devoted son-in-law, Mark Swartz, and the mother of her first grandchild, Sheri Loomer.

Cecelia is survived by her grandchildren: Alena Schoonmaker, Lucas Schoonmaker, Rachel Schoonmaker, William Schoonmaker, Virginia Schoonmaker, and Nathan Milio.

She is also survived by cousins Rose Mary (Briggs) Moore, Jacob Briggs and Theresa (Briggs) Grant; nieces Shirley (Briggs) Canale and Donna (Pottenburgh) Hutchings; as well as several other nieces and nephews.

She also leaves behind her best friend Mary Henderson, her good friend Judy Shoffa, and her kind, attentive neighbors Mary and Todd and Yolanda and Bill.

Her last years were made possible by the excellent care she received from the cardiology units at Kaiser Permanente San Jose, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, El Camino Hospital Mountain View, and Good Samaritan Hospital San Jose.