Wilma La Cava

November 24, 1941 - October 2, 2022 Wilma La Cava was born in Los Angeles, California on November 24, 1941. She was a devoted mother and grandmother. She passed away in Murrieta on October 2, 2022. After graduating from Los Alamitos High School, Wilma joined the Women's Air Force program (WAF) being stationed at March Air Force Base until her honorable discharge. Next, she worked at MAFB hospital and began her college education at Riverside City College earning an Associate's Degree in Nursing. Wilma then earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Cal State San Bernardino. Wilma worked for Kaiser Permanente in Fontana as a Registered Nurse until retirement. While working full-time at Kaiser, Wilma earned her Master's Degree from Cal State Dominguez Hills. Following this degree, Wilma joined the faculty of Riverside City College where she taught Nursing 1 to generations of young nurses until her second retirement. Wilma received numerous awards for her work as Faculty Advisor for SNO, the Student Nurses Organization, at RCC and personally provided nursing education scholarships to student nurses for years. In 2005, Wilma received the Caring Spirit Award for Nurses. Wilma enjoyed participating in the yearly Festival of Trees Gala both with her student nurses, and on her own after retirement, bringing full-sized decorated and themed Christmas trees for auction to help fund programs and equipment for Riverside University Health System's Pediatric Units. In her later years, she enjoyed travelling especially to Barbados. Wilma loved Hybrid Tea Roses and had dozens of varieties over time. Wilma is survived by her daughters, Deanna La Cava and Karen La Cava-Hamrick, her son-in-law James Hamrick, her grandchildren Katherine Hamrick, Ryan Hamrick and Evan Hamrick, her sister Barbara Hall and brother Richard Carroll. Wilma was preceded in death by her parents Blanche and Lawrence Carroll, her brother Ralph Carroll and her sisters, Donna De Leon and Sharon Esquivel. Wilma is interred at the Riverside National Cemetery. May her memory live on in the hearts of those whose lives she touched throughout the years, and may she rest in peace.