Josephine L Boyd

Josephine Lara (Josie) Boyd – age 89 of Garden Grove/Santa Ana, California, passed away on January 8, 2022, in Santa Ana. Josie and her twin brother, Jose Lara, were born December 31, 1932, in Anthony, New Mexico. Her father, Francisco Lara, born in 1884, was from Spain, died March 26, 1952, age 68 (same date of the birth of Josie’s first child). Her mother, Josefa Lopez, of Artesia, New Mexico, born February 28, 1895, died February 17, 1973 – age 78. Josefa (16) whose mother died while she was young, married Francisco (27) October 21, 1911, in the Territory of New Mexico. New Mexico became a state in the Union on January 6, 1912. Francisco by marriage gained citizenship.

Josie married Johnny – ‘AC’ ‘Happy’ Johnston who was in the Navy, and lived in various Navy submarine bases: Newport, Rhode Island – Naval Training Station; Norfolk, Virginia – world’s largest naval station, headquarters and home port of the Navy’s Fleet Forces Command; Charleston, South Carolina – Naval building and repair facility; San Diego, California – the second largest base of the United States, homeport of the Pacific Fleet; San Francisco - former Treasure Island Station; Key West, Florida - Naval Station strategic home for Navy submarine docks and dry-docks; and Panama City, Florida - Naval Support Station. Two of Josie’s three children were born at a Naval Port – Frank, San Diego, Teresa, Key West, and Don was born in-between ports, El Paso, Texas. Josie had 8 grandchildren (Nathan, Jason, Alex, Brooke, Frank Jr., Michelle, Mark Johnston’s, Peter John Welton) and 18 great grandchildren:

Akira, Andrei, Jean-Luc – Mallory, Jack – Aubrie, Riley, James, - Frankie Aumarie, Darren Garcia – Lylah, Isaiah, Avery, Aizley – Nora Jean Stewart – Welton Children.

In 1970, Josie moved from Hialeah, Florida to Southern California where she met Pastor Chuck Smith, Calvary Chapel then congregating under a large tent; she thought she was going to a circus. Herein, Josie delighted in fellowship and worship with many new friends and enjoy participating in study groups and mission trips to Mexico. Josie to the end delighted in reading her Bible.

Josie was one of 13 children of the Lara family – 3 boys and 10 girls.

Anita and Adela (Twins died at childbirth), Florina, Augustine, Santiago, Anita (died age 24), Juanita, Manuela, Adela, Mary Shimmel, Jose – twin brother and Estella Zapp.

She is survived by 4 – Adela, Mary, Jose and Estella.

The memory of Josie is a remarkable account of life in family where the seemingly insignificant beginnings unfolds wonderfully substantial through its generations. Grace and Peace to Josie and to all who remember and loved her.  The Josephine Lara Boyd family.

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