Sarah Evelyn Cardoza Cabral

Loved by Many.

Heaven Awaited

with Open Arms.

Beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother, Sarah Rocha Cardoza Cabral went to be with the Ones in Heaven she has always loved and daily missed on Thursday, January 23, 2020. Born Sarah Evelyn Rocha in her grandparent’s house in Sanger on April 17, 1926, she never met a person without trying to acknowledge them as a human being and seeing the best in them as an individual. She was loved by everyone who knew her and will be missed by many generations

of southwest Fresno students, farmers, neighbors, and friends.

At the age of 20, when she married William (Bill) Cardoza, and moved into his Portuguese Immigrant family home, Sarah left her Portuguese Immigrant home (and large extended family) near the Kings River in Sanger and moved 20 miles west to the Easton farming community of Fresno, CA .

Sarah’s husband Bill died at the age of 42, after 17 years of marriage, when Sarah was 37, leaving her with 3 children. Robert (12), Steven (10), and Susan (3). Sarah began working towards her BA in Sociology, followed by her Teaching Credential, taking one college course each semester at Fresno City & Fresno State Colleges, until age 50, when she happily secured a teaching position at nearby West Park Elementary school, where she worked until retirement, in her mid-70’s. She continued to feel the love and kindness of her former West Park co-workers for many, many years.

At age 52 Sarah married Edward L Cabral, a retired Portuguese dairy farmer from the San Jose area. It should be noted that, as was historically common within the Portuguese society, Sarah met both of her husbands at the Portuguese Hall during a festa/celebration. Bill in Fresno in 1946 and Eddie in Pismo in 1977. Edward lived until 2002, most of those years being taken care of by Sarah after suffering a debilitating stroke within months of being newly married. She was actually married to Ed longer than her first husband and, though he was physically disabled, they managed to enjoy many loving years together.

Sarah suffered many trials and tribulations, as many people do, and she overcame them the only way she knew, by getting up in the morning and doing the things she felt needed to be done. She just believed ‘This is what you need to do. You do what you have to do.’ She felt she was a Survivor and raised her children to believe they could ‘accomplish anything if you just put your mind to it’.

She will be missed by many local organizations, as well as the SPRSI and PFSA Portuguese organizations, being a lifelong member of both. Over the decades, Sarah took care of her family and friends and students and Portuguese societies and church organizations and chickens and other animals. She loved growing flowers and fruits and vegetables, and working in the yard, mowing her own lawn until her late-70’s. In the years after she could no longer till the soil, Sarah loved sitting outside and admiring her garden, thinking of the next fruit or citrus tree, or flowers or vegetables she would have planted by her helpers.

Sarah was predeceased by her mother & step-father, Sarah (Rodrigues) & Steve Horvath, her father & step-mother, Manuel & Anna Rocha, her husbands Bill & Edward, her brother Manuel Rocha, and her cherished son Steven, who died in 1972 at the age of 18 in a tragic car accident. She would never forget to mention her sister-in-laws, who were such an important part of her life for so many years, Alice (Cardoza) Pereira and Beverly (Miguel) Rocha.

She is survived by her daughter Susan Guelda (Jim), son Robert (Julie), grandchildren Blake & Madison, step-daughter Diane Silveira (Leo) and their several generations of children. Sarah always looked forward to spending the Christmas holiday with the Silveira family and they showed her much love, patience, and respect over the years. Her ‘baby’ brother Joe Rocha also survives her, as well as many Beloved in-laws and nieces & nephews & cousins from the Cardoza and Rocha and Rodrigues and Mendes families.

Sarah was nothing if not a devout Catholic. She held the rosary in her hands daily for at least the last decade of her life. She would pray for everyone, including the recently deceased, the sickly, and anyone going through Life’s trials and tribulations. If she believed you could use prayer, she would be praying for you. She attended St. Jude’s Catholic Church, in Easton, for many years and loved having the Portuguese hall next door and the feeling of the farming community. Later in life she attended St. Genevieve’s in downtown West Fresno and felt a particular kinship with the church and the many parishioners. Brother Richard Freitas continued to visit her wherever she was on any given Sunday to provide her with fellowship and the Holy Communion eucharistic sacrament.

Sarah continued to live ‘alone’ on Hughes Avenue until age 91. Special thanks to her Helpers & Care-givers in recent years, especially Mrs Clementina Simas & Antoine Gomes. Niece Dorothy (Pereira) Stetsko and her husband Pete remained on the family land, next door to ‘Aunt Sarah’, and went above and beyond helping as much as they could during her last years living alone. So many others were so helpful & giving & sweet in her elder years. You know who you are and we cannot thank you enough!

In lieu of flowers perhaps you could plant something in your garden and feel the warm smile of Sarah, nodding in approval from Heaven. Being in her garden always made her smile and feel content and part of Nature. Or feel free to donate to Hinds Hospice. This organization stepped in within the last months of her life to offer medical services, as well as emotional support during her last earthly days. We especially appreciate Nastassha Brice for providing a comfortable, clean, healthy and loving small Assisted Living residence in Clovis where Sarah could continue to enjoy birthday celebrations and weekly visits from family and friends without feeling isolated or uncomfortable. Sarah passed at age 93 and her laughter, good humor and loving spirit will be sorely missed.