Edna M. Souza passed away at her Hollister residence on October 2nd, 2009, at the age of 92 years. Edna was the daughter of the late Manuel Corcell and Marie Escobar who were early residents in San Juan Bautista. Edna received her education at San Juan Grammar School and was a graduate of San Benito High School. She and her late husband Joseph G. Souza who was a native of San Luis Obispo and who died in 1997 had operated a dairy ranch in Salinas Valley in the early l940’s before coming to Hollister in 1945 to farm 50 acres of apricots on Wright Road. As a homemaker most of her adult life, Edna was well known throughout the Portuguese Community from San Luis Obispo to Reno for her talents in designing and baking wedding cakes. She loved cooking and was an excellent seamstress. “Edna wasn’t afraid to work, said her nephew Tony. When she had the dairy she would actually cut hay with a team of horses.” Edna was a 50 year member of the Hollister Grange and it’s president for 30 years; a member of the I.D.E.S. of Salinas, and for 40 years she and her husband traveled to all 50 States with the Alaskan Camper Club. Besides her husband Joseph, she was pre-deceased by sister Millie Kashersky, brother Arthur Corcell, and nephew Bobby Ivelich. Survivors are brother-in-law Bill Kashersky, niece Mary Doughty of Salinas; great nephew Tony Ivelich (Pam) of Gilroy; great-niece Michelle Garcia (Danny) of Gilroy; great-nephew Matthew Doughty of Salinas; and great-great-nieces Jacklyn Cordero of Gilroy and Deanna Arias of Hollister. Visitation is today (Tues) from 12:00 noon until 7:00 p.m. at the Grunnagle Funeral Home. Friends are invited to the funeral service Wednesday morning at 10:00 A.M. at the mortuary chapel followed by the entombment at Calvary Mausoleum. Reception to follow.
Donations are preferred to Sacred Heart Church c/o the mortuary chapel. Visit: www.grunnagle./com for condolences.
