Obituary of Cecilia Anne Wigen

Cecilia (Ceci) Anne Breckenridge Wigen of Simi Valley, CA. passed away on June 29, 2016 at the Simi Valley Hospital. A memorial service will be held on July 21st at 1pm at Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley. Graveside services will be managed by Heritage Funeral Home in Spokane, WA. The service will be at 11:00am on July 8, 2016 at the Riverside Memorial Cemetery in Spokane, WA. Ceci was born in Washington, D.C. to Walter Cecil and Gladys I (Schnuck) Breckenridge on January 3, 1941. She attended grade and high school in the Washington, D.C. and Oxon Hill, MD areas and attended more than a year of college at Anderson University in Indiana. Ceci worked a short period for the Federal Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. but her dream happened when she was employed as a flight attendant for United Airlines. She flew from several bases; Chicago, Miami and Los Angeles, both domestic and international for more than 41 years. A couple of highlights from her career were a crew award from the USAF, Mobility Command for flying home a group of the Desert Storm Troops. The second event was attending the Seoul Olympics. The Purser on that flight was Ceci and she was especially nice to one passenger – Lyn Stevens the NBC representative on that charter flight. Presto, several flight personnel were able to attend for an affordable price. After her final flight during June 2001 for United she volunteered and worked at the Reagan Presidential Library for two years. She then Volunteered for about thirteen years to support the restoration and maintenance of the early California beach property in Malibu – the historic Adamson House. She started as a docent then transferred to the cooperating, separate Foundation with the mission to raise funds and further influence in the effort to preserve this beautiful place in downtown Malibu. She served first as a Director, then as Vice-President then as President. Ceci had a special friendship with the older docents and Foundation members; many of these friends provided her with more than 70 years of prior knowledge of early California history. Ceci is survived by her husband, Cliff Wigen, her two sisters Linda (Jack) Busby; Kathryn (Don) Casey; her remaining Aunt, Betty Bowers; nieces – Laura, Andrea, Kori, Brenna; Nephews, Ryan and Patrick and several beloved cousins: three stepsons, Clifford M. (Cliff), Greg (1961 – deceased 2008) and William (Chris); grandchildren, great grand-children. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the American Lung Association or the Malibu Adamson House Foundation, attention Jules Hershfeld, Treasurer at Malibu Adamson House, 23200 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the many doctors and nurses of the Simi Valley Hospital (ICU Ward) who were with Ceci and family 24 hours a day during that last, difficult week.