Kay (Sjosten) Briski
September 2, 1936 – July 13, 2024
Kay (Sjosten) Briski passed away peacefully on July 13, 2024, in San Jose, Ca.
Kay was born on September 2, 1936, to Arnold and Tillie Sjosten in Lodi, CA. She attended local schools and graduated with honors from Lodi Union High School in 1954. She was a life member of the California Scholarship Federation.
The family relocated to Stockton, where Kay began her career with the Stockton Chamber of Commerce. She held various positions of increasing responsibility and was eventually named Manager of the Stockton Convention and Visitors Bureau. During that time, she was also elected President of the California Association of Convention and Visitors Bureau for two terms.
Kay’s love of the ocean was a major factor in her decision to move to Oxnard, CA and accept the position as Manager of the Oxnard Convention and Visitors Bureau in 1977. From there she went on to start up a convention and visitors bureau in Culver City, CA, and continued to be active with convention and tourism organizations. She later served as the Executive Director of the Venice Boardwalk and Merchants Association, working with domestic and international travel writers and tour operators.
In 2003, Kay changed careers and went to work for the Ventura branch of the Auto Club of Southern California where she worked for 16 years until her retirement in 2019. In 2017, she was named Region One’s employee of the year. Upon retirement, Kay moved from Oxnard to San Jose, CA, to be near her daughter.
Kay was a long-time member of the Coastline Bible Church of Ventura, CA. She enjoyed gardening and yellow tulips were her favorite flower. Her first pet was a white cat name Princess. She loved cats and enjoyed the company of many throughout her lifetime, the most recent being Angel.
She is survived by her daughter Jan (Lynn Patrick) Gahagan, granddaughter Claire Gahagan, grandson Matthew Gahagan, sister Arlene Geringer, two nieces, one nephew, and several great nieces and nephews as well as many friends at Lincoln Glen Manor retirement community.
Interment will be private at Cherokee Memorial Park in Lodi, CA.
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Cherokee Memorial is honored to serve the Briski family.