Dorothy J. Kara

Dorothy “Dot” Jewel Kara left us January 1st, 2016 at her home at the age of 100. She was born on December 4, 1915 in San Francisco, the final day of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The world came to San Francisco for the fair, but stayed to welcome Dorothy, a life-long native San Franciscan. She now joins her beloved Carlo Bocciginone, Lawrence Kara, and parents Louis and Carmella Celentano. Dorothy has been called to join her sister Mary Sartori and Mary’s husband Horace Sartori, her brother Michael Celentano, and her sister Rose Celentano in eternal peace.

Her heart always open to others, Dorothy volunteered to care after soldiers during the second world war while her first husband Carlo was enlisted. She was stationed in Palm Springs and gained a note of celebrity amongst the soldiers recuperating there. They requested to hold her hand so they could say they touched a real San Franciscan. They would ask, and Dorothy would oblige, describing the sights and sounds of the big city she called home.

A beacon of God’s love to those who had the privilege of meeting her, Dorothy was a living embodiment of her faith in her words and actions. She was an active member of Corpus Christi Parish in San Francisco and served her community as a member of the Salesian Family of Don Bosco. She later joined the parishioners of St. Pius in Redwood City, bringing smiles to the faces of her friends in the senior club on a daily basis. “Dot” loved playing bingo with family and friends and would rarely be seen without a word of wisdom on her lips and a glass of champagne in her hand.

Dorothy is survived by her daughter Carleen Roos and son-in-law Dr. Gregory Roos, grandchildren Daniel Roos and Kristina Roos-Rivera, her husband Francisco Rivera and their children Anthony and Isabella Rivera. She will be greatly missed by all her family whose lives she touched with her caring and compassion: her sister-in-law Betty Celentano and Betty’s children Diane & Michael; Diane’s sons Kevin & Kyle Powell; Michael’s sons Joseph & Michael; niece Gayle Harrington, her husband Thomas and children Matthew & Angela; nephew David Sutter, his wife Susan and their daughter Jennifer Kettwig; niece Karen Ferguson, her husband William and their daughter Jennifer Kettwig; niece Karen Ferguson, her husband William and their daughters Mary Dixon & Julee Ferguson Flores; and Dot’s many great-grand nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to attend viewing on Monday, January 11, 2016 from 5 PM-9 PM with a vigil at 7 PM at Redwood Chapel, 847 Woodside Road, Redwood City, CA. 94061. A funeral mass Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 10 AM at St. Pius Church 1100 Woodside Road, Redwood City, CA. 94061 with a graveside service to follow at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, 1500 Mission Road, Colma, CA. 94014.