Obituaries

Violet Guevarra was born in Bataan, Philippines on Wednesday March 23, 1932 and passed away 2 weeks shy of her 90th birthday in Fremont, CA on Monday March 7, 2022 after a week-long stay at the Washington Hospital.

Daughter of Ricardo Banzon Guevarra and Isabel Koronel Jimenez, she grew up gifted with a zest for life and distinctive intelligence. Her feistiness sometimes served her well as she navigated her life's journey with her husband, Ismail “Mike” Adao who she married on June 13, 1953. They have 2 children and 3 grandchildren.

Violet received her Bachelors of Arts degree in Education at Feati University in Manila and received a Masters Degree in Psychology in Nigeria where she and her husband lived and worked for nearly 5 years. She started very young, setting out on her own at a young age of 17. Violet's fierce independence, at 20, buoyed her to start a beauty parlor that also served as a specialty retail store for goods she often obtained by traveling to Hong Kong and Tokyo with other business women seeking out bargains for resell. Vit and Mike lived and worked in several other countries by the time they were in their mid 20s: Guam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Iran and Nigeria and finally settling in California in the mid 80’s. Mike was an aircraft mechanic who worked at maintenance yards and also taught airframe mechanics while Violet set out to continue her craft. Significant in her career she ran and managed a successful entertainment business in Saigon in the 70’s.

Vit and Mike settled in the SF Bay Area in the mid 80’s to be closer to their sons and grandkids.

Violet and Ismail’s faith served as anchor and guided their life as people of God. They often traveled to Europe on pilgrimages to the Vatican, Fatima and Lourdes. From Madrid, where Violet lived for a couple of years, she often traveled back and forth to Nigeria as a business merchant to help supplement their income and provide for their 2 boys in school.

Violet was preceded in death by her parents Ricardo and Isabel, older brother Nestor Guevarra and sister Lolita Tolentino and younger sister Iluminada Romero. She is survived by her 2 boys and their wives and children. Arnel and his spouse Janet Adao have 3 children, Adam, Andre and Jocelyn. Bart Adao and his spouse Veronica Dostal have no children.

Violet lived an adventurous life with her husband always faithful in love and in their strong belief in the Risen Christ. She will be sorely missed by family and friends.

A Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 23, from 4–8 PM with a Vigil Service at 6:30PM at Fremont Chapel of the Roses, 1940 Peralta Blvd., Fremont. Funeral Mass will be Thursday, March 24 at 12PM at St. Clement Catholic Church, 750 Calhoun St. in Hayward. Burial to follow at Holy Sepulchre in Hayward.

In her honor, you may choose to donate to Angela’s Piazza of Billings Montana.