Aura A. Eroy

Aura Gonzalez Eroy peacefully joined the Lord on Tuesday, February 8. She was surrounded by her five daughters and many grandchildren.

Aura was born in Coamo, Puerto Rico, and grew up in Salinas, PR. She considered herself a “jibarita” because she loved farming and animals. In 1945, she and her mother joined her sister in Corpus Christi, Texas. There she met her future husband, Casimiro “Roy” Eroy, a Filipino cook in the US Navy. Later, the Eroys settled in Los Alamitos, California, with their growing family. Besides being a devoted mother, Aura was a community leader. She was active in the Anaheim Girl Scout program where she established a Girl Scout campground at the old Los Alamitos Eucalyptus Grove. She was also PTA president, a volunteer for the Los Alamitos Community Youth Center, and Sunday school teacher.

After 25 years, Aura & Roy bought a new home with acreage in Watsonville, CA. A farm for Aura was a dream come true! Friends and family fondly remember her many animals, including geese, goats, horses, cows, and chickens. She loved gardening and would often share her homegrown produce with friends and neighbors. Canning fruits and vegetables, quilting, and growing beautiful flowers, especially her yellow roses, were some of her favorite pastimes. She became an important member of the Watsonville community. She worked 20 years for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District as a Community Liaison, serving Spanish-speaking families with disabled children. In the early 1990’s she founded a family empowerment group, Grupo Renacer, that continues to this day.  She also led parenting groups at the County Jail Women’s Facility. She was on the board for Salud Para La Gente and made countless trips to Sacramento with families to meet representatives and promote civic engagement. After the 1989 earthquake, she helped match volunteers with community needs, illustrating her knowledge of and dedication to the local migrant community.    

After 30 years in Watsonville, she moved to Portland, Oregon, once her health started declining. In Portland, she enjoyed gardening, daily water aerobics classes, walking her beloved dog Tommy through Laurelhurst Park, and hosting weekly Puerto Rican family suppers. Aura was a model to us all by constantly challenging herself to keep her mind and body active.

Finally in 2015, she moved back to Southern California as her memory started declining. She enjoyed visits from her daughters, grandchildren, and their growing families. She was always ready for fun, jumping in a pool with her great-grandchildren, visiting a beautiful garden or walking along the pier. She never stopped learning, making friends, or sharing her smile and her light.

Aura, or as her grandchildren called her “Nana,” is survived by her six children, Frances Larsen of Santa Rosa, CA, Rosa Eroy-Rice of Oceanside, CA, Mary Lou Hutton of Los Alamitos, CA, Michael Eroy of Marysville, CA, Joan O’Brien of West Linn, OR, and Ramona Cahn of Portland, OR; 13 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren.