Pleasanton Woman Turns 100, Surprised With Drive-By Parade

MANTECA, CA — Longtime Pleasanton resident Dorothy "Dottie" Boneza's family wasn't about to let her spend her 100th birthday alone in quarantine.

They had planned a big birthday bash, mailed invitations and placed food orders, but had to cancel after Californians were instructed to stay at home, said daughter Adalia Loder. So the family organized a birthday party to visit Boneza in her new home, a mobile home park in Manteca.

In all, some 75 people came in 38 cars, Loder said. A police officer led the parade in honor of Boneza, who was born April 19, 1920 in Snyder, Oklahoma. She was one of 10 children.

The family moved to Pleasanton in 1944, when Boneza was 24 years old.

She met her husband, Edward Boneza, soon after. They went on to raise their two daughters — Loder and sister Ranielle Brazell — in Pleasanton.

She was a cashier at the Safeway on Main Street, he was a horse trainer. They loved entertaining friends at their home, dancing, camping and going to the horse races, Loder said. She was active in the community.

They lived together in Pleasanton until 1981, eventually moving to Pine Grove and Manteca in their retirement. But Pleasanton was always home.

The Bonezas were married for 53 years, until Mr. Boneza died in 2002. He was buried in Pleasanton, Loder said.

Boneza's family describes her as spicy. She's so spicy that she was once held at gunpoint during a late night Safeway shift and laughed, telling the robber, "You've got to be kidding me," after he poked her with his gun, Loder said. Her mother opened the store's three cash registers and told him to get the money himself.

Boneza is the type of woman who golfed into her 80s until she broke her neck and leg — then recovered fully months later — and water skied at age 82. She worked at the food bank until recently, still pays her own bills and cooks her own meals, and organized a "Hootenanny Granny" group in Manteca.

If you met Boneza, you'd feel like you had known her forever, Loder said. But Boneza is a busy woman and it can be hard to get on her calendar.

"You have to make an appointment to visit my mother," Loder said.

In spite of Boneza's busy schedule, her family still managed to pull off a surprise. Her family was right by her side, including: son-in-law Dan Loder, plus grandchildren Denise Ashley, Erick Brazell, Michael Loder and wife Cher Loder, and great-grandchildren Evan Brazell, Makenna Loder and Ryan Loder.