Elva Christine Castro

Elva Christine Castro returned home to our Heavenly Father, on November 4, 2025, while at home surrounded by her loved ones.

She was born December 15, 1938 in Oxnard, CA, to John Ponce Lara, and Carmen Valdez-Lara-Pena.

Elva was first a woman of faith. As she forged through life God was always the driving force that shaped who she was. Jesus's word and light provided a road map that was her walk.

She was a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great grandmother, and great-great grandmother, with an ever-expanding family as her permanent legacy.

Her message of faith, family, and love is in all of us, including the countless friends she made through the years that also called her mom or grandma.

She was a homemaker and so much more to all who were blessed to be in her life. She worked tirelessly, always in the kitchen feeding all who were hungry, making hundreds of amazing tortillas daily, all the while performing countless jobs, seen and unseen.

She did it all and so much more with her trademark smile, kindness, love, and affection. She will always be missed. We take solace in knowing that she is with our Lord Jesus Christ, her husband and all of her loved ones.

She is survived by her sisters, Margaret Cano and Marylou Magana; her twelve children, Fredrick Castro, Evelyn Romo, and husband, Carlos Romo, George Castro, wife, Venetia Castro, Steve Castro, Cathy Duarte, and husband, Valentin Duarte, Debbie Castro, David Castro, and wife, Teresa Castro, Carol Marcus, and husband, Creig Marcus, Eileen Gutierrez, and husband, Jimmy Gutierrez, Natalie Lopez, and husband, Ruben Lopez; along with fifty-one grandchildren; one hundred forty-three great grandchildren; and thirty-four great-great grandchildren.

Elva was preceded in death by her husband, of 50 years, Fredrick Castro; daughter, Carmen Rodriguez; son, Daniel Castro; parents, and step-father, Chencho Pena; brothers, John Lara, Raymond Lara, and Armando Lara; and sisters, Lorraine Galvan, Delia Hernandez, and Isabel Soliz.