Geneva was born in Tulare, California on July 22, 1926 and raised in Tipton, California where she worked alongside her family in their dairy business. Geneva was the third child out of ten born to Francisco and Geneva Rocha Fernandes.
Geneva attended Lakeview School in Tipton, and briefly attended the California School for the Deaf-Berkley.
Geneva married Norman Brazil of Goshen, California in 1953. Later that same year she gave birth to their only child Constance. Geneva worked at Goshen Elementary which later became part of the Visalia Unified School District as a Cafeteria Worker until her retirement in 1988.
Geneva enjoying dancing, knitting, crocheting, drawing, and her number one love was researching, and documenting movie stars.
Geneva was preceded in death by her husband of fifty-three years, Norman Brazil of Goshen, her parents Francisco and Geneva Rocha Fernandes of Tulare, brothers, Frank Fernandes, Hanford, Lee and Joe Fernandes, Tulare, sisters, Olivia Mello and Mary Black, Hanford, and Bernice Kitchen, Tulare. Geneva is survived by her daughter, Constance (Gary) Minyard, Goshen, granddaughters, Amanda Taylor (Tracy Ferreira) of Visalia, and Kayla Minyard of Los Osos, great-grandchildren, Melody and Layla Andersen-Smith, Maycie and Seth Taylor, and Sadie Ferreira of Visalia, brothers Tony (Kathleen) Fernandes, Pismo Beach, Richard (Brenda) Fernandes, Pismo Beach, Johnny (Nivia) Fernandes, Tulare, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held Sunday, June 30, 2019 from 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Miller’s Memorial Chapel, 1120 West Goshen Avenue, Visalia, California. Recitation of the Rosary and Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, July 1, 2019 at 9:30 AM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 608 North Church, Visalia, California, with Interment at Visalia Public Cemetery District. Arrangements are entrusted to Miller’s Memorial Chapel.
The family would like to give special thanks to Evergreen Residence for their amazing care of Geneva and to Dr. Chawki Gerges.
In Lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Charles Borromeo Building Fund, 506 N. Garden Street, Visalia, CA 93291, Jeffrey Fernandes Scholarship Fund, Bank of the West, Tulare, CA 93274, and Alzheimer’s Association 1401 Commercial Ste. 210, Bakersfield, CA 93309 or to your favorite charity.
