Cecile Jewell Pasquinelli Hammon
June 4, 1954 – August 21, 2026

Cecile Jewell Pasquinelli passed away peacefully in her home on Friday, August 21, 2026. She was 72. Born in Oakland, California, on June 4, 1954, to Louis and Viola Pasquinelli, Cecile was the sixth of seven children in a large Italian family. Her childhood carried the weight of her mother’s schizophrenia, instilling within her a powerful grit and fixed determination. From those early years she also learned the language of care that would define her life: the art of cooking and caring for people.

Good food was never merely sustenance to Cecile—it was comfort, connection, and love made tangible. She carried that gift into her working life in the California Bay Area, first at Lucca Delicatessen and later as the proud owner of Rinaldi Sandwich Shop. There she built a successful business and, more importantly, met Adrian Hammon, the man who would become her husband. They married on August 18, 2000. With characteristic courage and wholehearted commitment, Cecile left behind her established life and business to join Adrian in his hometown of Colorado City, where she continued to share the joy of cooking with all who gathered around her table. In Cecile, Adrian recognized a soul with a love for the truth. He taught her the gospel; she took to it and never looked back.

Cecile had always longed for children of her own. Though marriage came later in life, her maternal heart found its full expression in the family she and Adrian built together. On September 25, 2002, they welcomed Ida into their marriage. Plural marriage brought significant challenges, yet Cecile met them with both hands and a repentant heart. Together they raised seven children who became her entire world. After Ida gave birth to twins, Cecile set aside outside work so she could devote herself completely to home and family. In June 2024, Janette and three more children came, further expanding their family circle.

To Cecile, preparing food with care and serving it with intention was the purest way to say “I love you.” She was thrifty by nature and could not bear waste. Onion peels, celery ends, bones, and offerings from the food bank were never discarded; in her hands they became something delicious to share with neighbors. The intersection of taste and thrift was her quiet joy. Down to the very last, while on oxygen and gasping for breath, she was feeding her sourdough starter and baking bread to send as tokens of appreciation. She also delighted in growing things, nurturing life from the soil in herbs, vegetables, and flowers.

Cecile is survived by her sisters Linda Manson, Barbara Faught, Leslie Sheets, and Nicole Kelly; her brother Vance Pasquinelli; and Adrian, Ida, Janette and all her children. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Tori.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you plant a tree and keep it watered—a living tribute to a woman who loved to help things grow.

Funeral services will be held on August 30, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the Centennial Park Chapel, with interment to follow at Centennial Park Cemetery. Cecile’s greatest legacy lives on in the family she cherished, in every heart she touched and every act of quiet generosity she carried through life.

Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 South Bluff Street, St. George, Utah. 435-673-2454.

Family and friends are invited to share their condolences and sign Cecile’s online guestbook at www.SpilsburyMortuary.com