Etelvina is survived by her 6 children: Manuel & Virginia Garcia (San Jose), Antonio & Rosa Garcia (San Jose), Luis & Rosemary Garcia (Livingston), Fatima & George Medina (Turlock), Marcelino & Fatima Rosa (San Jose), Carlos Rosa (Livingston), and her daughter-in-law Eduina Garcia (San Jose). 15 grandchildren: Michael Garcia, Steve Garcia, Elsa Garcia, David Garcia, Anthony Garcia, Jason Garcia, Chandra Medina, Grace Borba, Alyce Ford, Daniel Medina, Stacy Rosa, Anthony Rosa, Cheryl Rosa, Sean Heuer, and Madeline Heuer. 22 Great-Grandchildren: Evan, Jakob, Katelyn, Samantha, Ashley, Fallon, Ava, Emery, Camden, Jace, Jordan, Deborah, Rebekah, Logan, Lexi, Reagan, Christian, Bayliy, Anthony, Trinity, Siena, and Jordan. 1 Great-Great-Grandchild on the way.
She is preceded in death by her husband Vital Garcia da Rosa and her two sons, José Alberto Garcia and Vital Alberto Garcia. She was the last surviving of 10 siblings, and leaves behind many nieces and nephews, cousins, and 4 sister-in-law's.
Etelvina was born on August 2nd, 1922 in the neighborhood of Sete Cidades in the village of Madalena in Pico, Azores to Manuel Rodrigues Alberto and Rita Augusta da Glória. Etelvina was talented in her knitting and crocheting, having made countless blankets, tablecloths, and doilies for her whole family and lots of friends. One of her passions was of course in the kitchen baking her sweet bread, apple pies, sweet rice and her creamy fresh cheese. Her happiness was feeding her family and tending to her backyard filled with fruit trees and vegetables. Even at 97, gardening was a daily ritual for her and is what gave her life for 97 years.
She held a very strong faith to God and a deep connection to Our Lady of Fatima. She was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Society of Turlock, and one of the founding members of a community prayer group over 30 years ago, that gathers every Monday.
A visitation for Etelvina will be held on Sunday, March 1st, 2020 from 4:00-8:00PM with a recitation of the rosary at 7:00PM at Whitehurst Norton Dias Funeral Service located at 286 W. Main Street in Turlock, California.
A funeral Mass will be held on Monday, March 2nd, at 12:00PM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 1200 Lyons Ave. in Turlock. Burial to follow at Turlock Memorial Park located at 575 N. Soderquist Road.
