Gara passed away peacefully on February 22, 2013, in Orlando, Fla. with her daughter Judy and family at her side. She was 95 years of age. Gara was born in Lolita, Calif. on April 14, 1917 to Frank and Wilhemina Luis of Ferndale, Calif. She married Joseph Silveira Cardoza in 1932 and they had five children, Gene Cardoza, Evelyn Daly, Mary Cardoza, Frank Cardoza and Judy Baptiste.
In addition to raising her five children, Gara was a Licensed Vocational Nurse with a long career assisting doctors in the emergency room and surgery at Glenn General Hospital until her retirement in 1980. After retirement Gara unselfishly dedicated the remainder of her life to caring for her loved ones. A long time resident of Willows, Gara lived on Sacramento Street until 2007 when she moved to Orlando to live with her daughter Judy and her Husband Air Force Lt General (Ret) Tom Baptiste.
Gara was preceded in death by her husband Joe; sons, Gene and Frank Cardoza of Willows, Calif.; daughter, Mary Cardoza of Chico, Calif.; parents, Frank and Wilhemina Luis of Ferndale, Calif.; sisters, Evelyn Brazil of Ferndale, Calif. and Laura Kinzel of Bakersfield, Calif.; and brothers, Frank Luis Jr. of Chico, Calif. and Joe Luis of Redding, Calif. She is survived by her daughters, Evelyn Daly of Willows, Calif and Judy Baptiste of Orlando, Fla.; 10 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren; 7 great-great grandchildren; her sister-in-law, Vevalena Luis of Redding, Calif.; several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A mass to honor Gara's life will be held on Friday, March 22, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at Saint Monica's Catholic Church, 1129 West Wood Street, Willows, CA. Interment will follow immediately after the funeral mass at Willows Cemetery. A reception to celebrate Gara's life will be held at Saint Monica's Parish Hall following the burial.

Published in Willows Journal from March 16 to March 23, 2013