Priscilla Garcia Quisol

On the evening of Friday, December 13, 2019, Priscilla Garcia Quisol passed away peacefully at the age of 86, with family by her side in her home at Camden Springs Gracious Retirement Living in Elk Grove, California.

Ella, as she was fondly called, was born on March 6, 1933, in Dagupan, a province of Pangasinan in the Philippines to Dionisio Clemente Garcia and Cresencia Velasco Garcia. She was the youngest daughter of their seven children; Samuel, Ruth, Portia, Daniel, and the twins, Rueben and Jacob, who have all gone before her.

When it came time to make a decision about college, it was her brother Danny that suggested Social Work as Ella had always had a heart for helping people. She received her BA from the University of the Philippines in 1956 and studied as a Fulbright scholar at the University of California at Berkeley in 1957, working towards a Masters Degree in Social Work.

In June of 1958, after years of pursuit and constant prayer, Samuel Quismorio Quisol who was already in America studying at Southwestern University in Texas and Ella married at Hamilton Methodist Church in San Francisco. They had two children, Rochella and John, and raised them in San Francisco and San Jose, CA, where Ella was hired as a social worker for Santa Clara County Services. In 1974, the family moved back to San Francisco, where Sam became the pastor of the Free Methodist Church in Bernal Heights. Ella started volunteering at a local junior high school where one of her supervisors applauded her impact on students and encouraged her to go back to school to pursue her teaching credential. She attended San Francisco State to earn her teaching credential then continued to UC Berkeley in 1978 to complete her Masters in Social Work—graduating in 1980.

In 1981, Ella, Sam, and John moved back to San Jose when she was hired as a teacher/counselor at Independence High School. She worked with several students helping them map out a plan for higher education. One of those students, Amy Nguyen, was even accepted to Harvard, and while there would be long pauses in communication, Ella always kept track of her milestones. She and Sam attended Amy’s wedding—in fact, Sam officiated at their ceremony.

Ella and Sam remained active with the Free Methodist Church as support and eventually, in the early ’90s, Sam took on pastoring the Free Methodist Church in Hayward. It was during this time that Ella had her first bout with cancer. After aggressive radiation, chemotherapy, and the prayers and support of loving family and friends, she beat cancer. Taking some time off to recuperate, Ella returned to Independence/ Pegasus with a new bounce in her step. She knew that there was a reason God brought her through that trial. She loved her students and they loved her.

In the summer of 1998, Ella retired from her career in education, and she and Sam moved cross country to Florida to be closer to their son John and his family and to continue their ministry with the Free Methodist Church in West Palm Beach until Sam’s passing, December of 2000.

Ever faithful, Ella continued answering the Lord’s calling as a leader in prayer ministry and women’s leadership at the Morningside Church in Port St. Lucie, FL where she and Sam had purchased a home. In 2005, she later joined John and family who had relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina. She purchased her own home and was thriving in a new community. She attended Mecklenburg Community Church, joined a women’s book club, and was a Silver Sneaker member. It was here in 2010 that Ella faced her second bout of cancer. Once again, her church family rallied around her with home-cooked meals left on her porch and prayers. Ella would beat cancer again.

In 2013, Ella received the Lord’s calling to return to California, this time to Santa Ana where she lived with her sister Portia Garcia Pasamonte. She was active with the Santa Ana United Methodist Church until her move to Elk Grove, CA in July of 2017.

Ella moved to a private apartment at Camden Springs Gracious Retirement Living in Elk Grove, CA where she would be close to her Quisol family and closer to her daughter, Rochella and her family in San Francisco, CA. It was in Elk Grove that Ella found out her health was failing. With her strong faith in Christ, supported with prayers from friends and family near and far, after two years of battling kidney failure, cancer (for a third time), and a blood clot, Ella decided to enter hospice care on November 21, 2019.

Ella leaves behind her daughter, Rochella Gleam and her husband, Ben Fontela; her son, John and his wife Dianith (Rivera); her grandchildren, Stefany V Fontela, Vincent S Fontela and his fiancee Stephanie Gutierrez, Joseph S Quisol, Daniel J Quisol; great-grandchild, Ava Daisy Quisol, and many, many in-laws, nieces, nephews, great grand nieces/nephews and dear friends she made both near and far. She touched many lives and was touched by many.

Her favorite saying was, “I Love You More”, recently adding “He Loves Us Most”

Ella viewed her passing as a joyous occasion celebrating her Homecoming to Glory. In the spirit of celebration, we request that you wear “happy” colors to the services if you feel moved to. Ella’s favorite colors were purples and pinks. But you can wear whatever happy color makes you think of her.

All services will be held at Oak Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park in San Jose, CA

January 8, 2020

Visitation from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm followed by an evening

Celebration of Life Service - at 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm.

January 9, 2020

Homecoming Service - 10 am - 11 am

Internment - 12 Noon