Carmela Lourdes Ortiz De Toma went peacefully to be with her Lord and Saviour on February 12th, 2015 at the Martha & Mary Assisted Living facility in Poulsbo, WA. She had just celebrated her 90th birthday with her family the previous week. Carmela “Carmelita” Lourdes De Toma was born February 11th, 1925 in Panama City, Panama, to Francisco and Felipa (Teran) De Toma. She was a native Spanish speaker and bilingual all her life.
In 1945 she met Bernardo Ortiz, a handsome young infantry soldier from Ciales, Puerto Rico, while he was stationed in Panama with the U.S. Army. The two were married on July 14th, 1946 and started their family shortly afterward. The family grew and traveled the world as Bernardo was transferred to different military bases; living in such places as Germany, France, Washington DC, and Colorado Springs, including three long years waiting for his return from front-line service in Korea. Upon Bernardo’s retirement from the U.S. Army in 1960, the family, now eight strong, settled in Oakland, CA, as Carmelita completed her R.N. in nursing. The family became merchants in the S.F. Bay Area, opening a retirement home (Melbern Gardens), while also owning and operating The New Claremont Market and butcher shop, as well as three restaurants (Casa Blanca I & II, and Zeb’s) during their time there. After Bernardo passed away in 1974, Carmelita remained in California until 1981, when she moved to Yakima, WA, to be closer to her daughters. In 2010, she relocated, for the last time, to Poulsbo, WA.
Carmelita had a passion for reading the Bible and praying. She loved her Lord with all that was within her, and was a life-long Roman Catholic. She also enjoyed reading and crafting, having learned to paint at the age of 89. She had a Central American gift for cooking delicious food, which she passed on to her children.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, three sisters, and three brothers. She is survived by all six of her children, in order: son Bernardo Ortiz (Nancy) of Newcastle, CA; daughter Maria M. (Michael) Clark of Ferndale WA; daughter Veronica (Jack) Severen of San Marcos, CA; daughter Maria A. MacArthur, daughter Miracle (Jim) Geier of Bremerton, WA; son Jose Ortiz of Kilgore, TX; as well as all sixteen of her grandchildren, and all 32 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held at Rainier Memorial Center, in Terrace Heights, on Friday, February 27, 2015 from 10 a.m. to noon. A Celebration of Life service will begin at 1 p.m. at Rainier Memorial Center, followed by a private graveside service.
Family service arrangements have been entrusted to Keith & Keith Funeral Home in Yakima.
To share a memory of Carmela, please visit www.keithandkeith.com
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.9.5