Ginevra "Neva" Marilyn Packer

Ginevra “Neva” Waterhouse Packer, lovingly known as “Mema,” passed away peacefully on May 9, 2026, at Hoffman Hospice House in Bakersfield, California, surrounded by her loving family. She was 83 years old.

Neva was born on November 14, 1942, in Pasadena, California, during a significant chapter in her family’s history amid the evacuation of Hawaii following the attack on Pearl Harbor. She was raised by her parents, William Allen Waterhouse and Ginevra Ramona Cheatham Waterhouse, alongside her five older sisters — Bobbie, Sue, Leona, Cilla, and Pat — on the island of Kauai, where she spent her childhood in Mānā among the sugar cane fields. She attended a small two-room schoolhouse where her mother was her teacher. Later, she attended Waimea High School before moving to California and graduating from Thomas Downey High School in Modesto in 1960.

Neva enrolled at Bakersfield College, where she met the love of her life, William “Bill” Harvey Packer, II. The two married on October 6, 1962, and shared a wonderful 63 years, 7 months, and 3 days together (yes, her husband kept track). Their marriage was filled with love, laughter, faith, family, and adventure.

While Bill served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Haven, the couple lived in Long Beach before eventually settling in Bakersfield, where they built their life and raised their family. Neva’s greatest joy was being a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was deeply involved in her daughters’ schools and activities through PTA, volunteering, church, and community involvement. Neva taught Sunday School, sang in the choir at College Heights Congregational Church, and was known for her kindness, humor, hospitality, baking, and beautiful penmanship.

Throughout the years, Neva worked various jobs, including with American Greetings, Bakersfield College registration, and Lum’s Pumpkin Patch, where her outgoing personality and sense of humor brought joy to many. She loved music, hula dancing, playing the ukulele, traveling with Bill, attending Bakersfield College and CSU Bakersfield athletic events, participating in her Red Hat Lady Society, and spending time with family and lifelong friends. She especially loved celebrating holidays, traveling, and playing games with family, as well as dear friends who became family — including the Gibson family and her “third daughter,” Cindy Brown, who has been Rendy’s best friend since childhood.

Neva especially cherished her role as “Mema” to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, proudly supporting their accomplishments, performances, and activities. Her joyful spirit, laughter, storytelling, and deep love for family created memories that will be treasured forever.

She was preceded in death by many beloved family members and dear lifelong friends, including her cousin Bob Watts, whom she loved like a brother, and her cherished pen pal and friend of 73 years, Bobbie Yanoshik.

Neva is survived by her devoted husband, Bill Packer; daughters Rendy Malia Packer and Darci Lanei Packer Frank and husband, Dr. Paul Frank; grandchildren Whitney Nicole Pascual and husband, Benny Pascual Jr., Benjamin Frank, Samuel Frank and partner, Grace Lanouette, and Dr. Madelyn Frank and husband, Malik Elasha; great-grandchildren Naia, Lena, Ezekiel, and newlyweds Elijah Pascual and wife, Alexis Pascual, who were married on May 9, 2026.

She is also survived by three of her five loving sisters, Bobbie McCord and husband, Bill McCord, Leona Farrell, and Cilla Bailey and husband, Ron Bailey; both of Bill’s sisters, Judy Packer and Frances Packer; and many extended family members and lifelong friends who loved her dearly.

Neva’s family finds comfort in knowing her aloha spirit, warmth, humor, and love will continue living on through all who knew her. We know she is dancing and “talking story” in Heaven while watching over all of us now.

A Celebration of Life service will be held in Neva’s honor on Sunday, May 31, 2026, at 3:00 PM at Dove Creek Bible Church, located at 2244 Allen Road, Bakersfield, CA 93314. In honor of Neva’s beautiful Hawaiian spirit and vibrant personality, the family invites guests attending her Celebration of Life to wear aloha attire, tropical prints, or touches of pink to celebrate the joy, warmth, and love she brought to everyone around her. Please feel free to RSVP at bit.ly/NevaPacker or contact Whitney at (661) 304-5687 so the family can stay connected with you.

• A graveside service will be held for the Smith-Waterhouse family, as well as Neva’s local island friends, at the Waterhouse Family Cemetery in Kōloa, Hawaii at a later date.

Donations may be made in Neva’s memory to two organizations that brought her immense joy throughout her life:

Kern Dance Alliance- a local nonprofit organization that her granddaughter Whitney helps lead, provides impactful arts programs throughout Kern County, including Memory Moves, a dance program for individuals with Alzheimer’s and memory loss, and Books in Motion, which promotes literacy through dance for young children. Bill and Neva even participated in KDA’s National Dance Day classes over the years — and if you knew Neva, you knew she could never resist dancing anytime she heard music, even during her final days.

Bakersfield Community Concert Association- a nonprofit organization that brings live musical performances to Bakersfield each year and promotes student outreach and performance opportunities for young musicians and singers. Bill and Neva faithfully attended concerts for decades and shared that tradition with their granddaughter Whitney, and later with great-granddaughters Lena and Naia.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Dove Creek Bible Church, 2244 Allen Rd, Bakersfield, California 93314, on May 31, 2026, at 3:00 pm.