Alma Goard passed away on the evening of June 7th after a short stay in skilled nursing care. She had spent her final year with her son, Don, and his wife, Nancy, in Foresthill.
Alma was born into one of the pioneer families in the Pleasanton/Dublin area and was raised in Pleasanton, Sacramento, and Oakland. She attended Fremont and Oakland High Schools in Oakland. She met her husband, Chet, on a blind date. They married in 1942 and enjoyed life together until 1990 when Chet died as the result of an auto accident.
They were part of “The Greatest Generation”, having lived through the depression and WWII. They never felt that they needed a lot of worldly possessions to be happy. Their wealth was in their family and friends.
Chet served in the Army in France where he was wounded in action. Alma would recall that the “happiest day in her life” was when she heard that Chet had been wounded and was safe in a hospital in England.
Alma and Chet raised their family in San Lorenzo, California. In the early years, Alma was a bookkeeper, but she made the decision to leave work and become a full-time mother and homemaker. As the children got older, Alma returned to college and received a bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies and a teaching credential from Cal State Hayward in 1973. As part of her studies, she spent time with a family in Mexico. She also worked as a volunteer, teaching sign language to deaf and hard-of-hearing children, and “patterning” children with physical handicaps.
Chet retired from PG&E in 1977 and they moved to Auburn. In her retirement years Alma and a friend founded T.O.P.S. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Chapter 1814 in Auburn. Even though she didn’t have a weight problem for many years, she remained a member of T.O.P.S. for the rest of her life. For years, Alma volunteered as an advocate with Sierra Foothills Aids Foundation, and she was one of the co-founders of New Faith United Church of Christ in Auburn.
Alma and Chet loved to travel. They took trips to Europe and Hawaii, and they traveled around the country in their motorhome.
Alma leaves her three children; Don (Nancy) of Foresthill, Linda (Kerrie) Nash of Isleton, and David (Joanne) of Folsom. She also leaves seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She will be buried next to Chet at New Auburn Cemetery.
The family thanks all the people and agencies that cared for Alma in her final months. Special thanks to Seniors First, Partners In Care, and Vitas Healthcare, all of Auburn, and to American Legion Post 587 in Foresthill, and Arbor Nursing Center in Lodi.
No immediate services are planned, but there will be a “celebration of life” later in the summer. Please visit the memory book at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/auburn-ca/alma-goard-7874360.
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