Maurice Jemison was a long time Santa Cruz native.  He was born in 1949 to the late Bettie and Louis Jemison at the original Santa Cruz hospital at 555 Soquel Avenue, now the home of local businesses and Ristorante Italiano.  Maurice grew up mostly in Capitola and La Selva Beach and graduated high school in 1967 from Watsonville High.   After studying film at the Art College of San Francisco he returned to Santa Cruz where he worked at various jobs, including Brown's Bulb ranch (which eventually became part of the Capitola mall), Live Oak School District where he drove the school bus, and the Santa Cruz county transit union.  His final job, driving a bus for Santa Cruz county transit, lasted for 25 years.  Maurice was a member of the United transportation Union.

Maurice was a devoted father and grandfather.  He was an accomplished ceramics artist and painter.  Maurice was an avid cook and was known for his expertise in the kitchen. In the 1990's Maurice became a spiritual guide to people seeking a right of passage through vision quests.  He later devoted his time to the School of Lost Borders in New Mexico. Maurice and his wife, Genie, enjoyed recent trips to Europe and liked to spend time in the desert with their two rat terriers, "Lulu" and "Faye."  Maurice had a special connection to animals and was known to nurse stray and abandoned animals back to health and take them in for medical care.                                                                                                                                                        

Maurice will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.  

Maurice is survived by his wife, Genie Boaz, his daughter and her fiancé Fawn Jemison and Damon Emplit, his son and daughter-in-law Jalal Jemison and Emily Bulfin, his daughter and son-in-law Willow and Joey Miller and his stepdaughter Tsuyeko Western, his grandchildren, Benjamin and Lily Miller and Lila Jemison, who lovingly refer to him as "Papa Moe." His brother and sister-in-law Louis and Janice Jemison, and his Niece and Nephew Quinn Cormier and Fletcher Jemison, and by Tina Jemison and her husband Kenny Marsh.