Elvira Antoinette (Soares) Pacciorini, the last of the Greatest Generation of her extended family, died April 30 as she wished, peacefully at home with her family. She was 95.

Though her mental acuity never wavered, for the last five years Mrs. Pacciorini suffered greatly from a fractured back, deteriorating spine and blindness. One of her favorite activities was reading, and she was compelled to have others read to her.

Mrs. Pacciorini was born Nov. 26, 1925 in San Jose Hospital, to John Moniz Soares and Elvira Antoinette Mattos Soares, immigrants from the Portuguese island of Pico in the Azores. As a child, her father farmed alfalfa, hay and tomatoes in Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Palo Alto. Though an only child, Mrs. Pacciorini had an extensive, close network of cousins who served the role of siblings.

Mrs. Pacciorini often noted she spoke only Portuguese when she began elementary school and had attended six schools before the family settled in Gilroy in 1934, where she began fourth grade. Here, her father both farmed and was a worker on farms; her mother later worked at Gentry Foods, the F&P cannery and the Sunsweet packing cooperative.

It was at Jordan Elementary School where Mrs. Pacciorini, often caught talking in the back of the classroom by teachers, earned her nickname, "Squeak," by which most later knew her. She attended Wheeler Junior High School and was graduated from Gilroy High School in 1943.
While still a senior, she was recruited by local businessman William F. Hall to be the bookkeeper and a sales clerk at his clothing store at Sixth and Monterey streets. She worked for Mr. Hall until she started having a family, and then worked as a contract bookkeeper for several small businesses. When her children began school, she returned to work in 1967 as the bookkeeper for Gilroy Lumber Co. until she retired in 1989.
After high school, Mrs. Pacciorini and several friends formed a social club, the Zany Girls, which sponsored dances and parties at St. Mary's Parish Hall, converted from the first St. Mary's Church. Like many Gilroyans at the time, Mrs. Pacciorini enjoyed going to the community center in San Juan Bautista, which was a popular dance venue on weekends.

She met the love of her life, Charles M. Pacciorini, son of a prominent Gilroy farming family, when he returned from World War II service in the Army Air Forces. They were married June 19, 1949 at St. Mary's Church, with a reception following at the Milias Hotel Sky Room. They enjoyed visiting Hawaii, Las Vegas and especially Lake Tahoe. Mr. Pacciorini died in 1989.

Over the years she often participated in many book and card clubs, Bunco and birthday clubs, and was a volunteer at the Garlic Festival, and with the South Valley Hospital and St. Louise Hospital volunteers, from which she earned her 10,000-hour pin. She was a long-time member of the Side-by-Siders singing group, Women in Touch II and the Italian Catholic Federation.

She was very much a part of her children's lives. Before the term was popular, Mrs. Pacciorini was a tenacious Tiger Mom, who worked hard and fought fearlessly for her family. She participated in the St. Mary's Mothers' Club, and was a Cub Scout den mother.

She is survived by her children, Albert C. (Debbie) Pacciorini, John J. (Dennis) Pacciorini, Michael A. Pacciorini and Susan M. (Diana) Pacciorini and grandsons, Richard C. Pacciorini and Brandon M. Pacciorini.

Because of the varying Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, no services are planned at this time.