Patricia Mary Gilford-Quintal's Obituary
Patricia Mary Gilford-Quintal, was born May 2, 1932 in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was the youngest of seven children'and the fifth daughter'born to Clifford Joseph Quintal, Sr. and Ada Boyard Quintal.
Patricia, also known to many as Pat, spent her childhood in Crescent City, Louisiana where she attended St. Peter Claver Catholic School. In 1947, the Quintal family, with the exception of Clifford (Cliff) Joseph, Jr., moved from New Orleans, Louisiana to Oakland, California, where Patricia enrolled at St. Elizabeth High School. After one year, she transferred to Oakland Technical High School, where she met many of her lifelong friends.
After completing high school Patricia attended City College of San Francisco, where she met and fell in love with Rotea (Gil) Gilford. They were married in a simple private ceremony in 1951. Patricia and Gil were blessed with three children, Michael Rotea Gilford, Steven Jody Gilford, and Judy Marie Gilford.
Patricia had an innate ability for math and accounting. She was an accountant-bookkeeper with the Navy, holding positions at the Naval Supply Center and on Treasure Island. She eventually moved on to join the Social Security Administration, from which she retired in 1987. Patricia was…a force to be reckoned with.
But life did not slow down for Patricia after retirement. She was a member of the Sacred Heart Parish in North Oakland and later of St. Patrick's Parish in West Oakland. A regular at Sunday mass, she also participated in parish-sponsored retreats and other activities. For several years she was involved in St. Patrick's weekly food distribution program for community members in need.
Patricia enjoyed spending time with family and friends. She was blessed with a hearty, infectious laugh and a lively, no-nonsense personality. Patricia was a great cook (gumbo being just one of her specialties), a great dancer, an outspoken and witty conversationalist, was a loyal fan of both the San Francisco Giants and the San Francisco Forty-Niners, and a force not to be reckoned with.
Patricia made her transition on Tuesday, February 26, 2013. She was preceded in death by her ex-husband, Rotea(Gil) Gilford; her oldest son, Michael; her parents, Ada and Clifford Quintal, her sisters'Aurene, Malang, Gladys, and Audrey.
She is survived by her children, Steven and Judy; her brothers, Cliff and John; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins, and other family members, as well as numerous people who were blessed to call Patricia a friend.
What’s your fondest memory of Patricia?
What’s a lesson you learned from Patricia?
Share a story where Patricia's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Patricia you’ll never forget.
How did Patricia make you smile?