Flora Silvia Mancebo

She is survived by her three nephews and their families: Dennis (Peggie) Mancebo, Kevin Mancebo, Mark (Katie) and Rylan Mancebo; Steve (Janis) Mancebo, Leslie (Nick) Vasilas; Tim Mancebo; Elsie Mancebo, Brian (Rebekah) and Eli Mancebo, Juliette Mancebo, and Rhonda (James) Davenport.

Flora was preceded in death by her siblings: Priscilla (Antonio) Fernandez, Daniel (Mary) Mancebo, Marie Partridge, Beatrice (David) Lopes, and her nephew David Mancebo (Elsie).

Flora graduated from Lincoln High School in Placer County with a scholarship to UC Berkley at age 16. She began teaching at Half Moon Bay High School at just 21 years of age. In 1943 she joined the Navy where she was a link trainer instructor and fixed gunnery instructor in Opalocke, FL. In 1945 she returned to HMBHS and spent the next 15 years as a student counselor and teaching a variety of classes.

She became a counselor and teacher at Terra Linda High School In 1961. While there she spearheaded the campaign for an elevator to provide access for physically challenged students to classes on the second floor of the school. She also began the Terra Linda Scholarship Foundation and organized many donation drives for communities. She was awarded the Terra Linda Life PTA membership for all her school and community involvement.

Flora was a major figure with Amigos Anonymous— a group similar to the Peace Corps—spending summers from 1965 to 1968 helping Mexican villages with education, food, clothing and other necessities. A true mother-daughter relationship resulted when a young girl—Bertha Garcia—came home with her on one of her many trips. Bertha stayed with Flora until the end and greatly misses her “mommie”.

There is an endless list of Flora’s volunteering at St. Anthony’s: religious education programs, translator for the Spanish speaking members, maintaining the food closet, organizing the annual rummage sale, visiting the sick or homebound with communion, and all the work she has done planting trees, flowers, vegetables and maintaining the beautiful Memorial Rose Garden.

Due to the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic a Memorial Funeral Mass at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Novato, CA and Burial Service at Newcastle Cemetery, Newcastle, CA will be scheduled at a later date.