Pauline Anne Bezera Gravance was born in Hanford, California on October 1, 1930. She was the youngest of eight children born to Frank and Mary Bezera, Portuguese immigrants from Pico Island, Azores. She was taken home to be with her heavenly Father on July 30, 2024, at the age of ninety-three.

She was raised on her family’s fruit tree and walnut farm near Hickey Park in Lemoore, California. She attended Lemoore schools. She attended Lemoore High School (class of 1949), where she enjoyed playing violin and playing on the tennis team. She fell in love with her neighbor, Frank Gravance, and they married when she was sixteen. They raised three daughters together and worked side by side on their family dairy and row crop farm in Laton, California until they retired in 1980. They had seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Pauline loved to cook and bake, especially her delicious Portugues beans and sweet bread. She loved her sweets, especially Superior Dairy vanilla ice cream, Hershey’s chocolate and See’s candy. She fondly remembered going with her father to sell walnuts to Superior Dairy and receiving a free ice cream cone with these deliveries as a child. As an adult, she would often cook for large gatherings of family and friends, and enjoy playing cards after (Poker, Pinochle and Pedro). Pauline and Frank enjoyed going out dancing to country music with friends, honky-tonk style. She was often a local “counselor” to friends, neighbors and business associates that would stop by to enjoy a sweet treat, a cup of coffee, and an empathetic ear. She treated everyone like family, with hospitality, kindness and respect, from employees to business associates to complete strangers. She was always willing to lend a helping hand, share a meal, give a ride or just listen. Pauline had many talents. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, a hard-working farmer, a smart businesswoman, a wonderful cook and an accomplished seamstress.

Farm life did not leave a lot of time to travel or experience things of the world. They lived a simple life of honest hard work, faith in God and commitment to family. Pauline and Frank enjoyed spending time in Pismo Beach over the years (clamming, fishing, participating in the Moose Lodge, and spending time in community). They made a second home in Grover Beach during their retirement years. Frank passed away in 1997. Pauline started a new season of life in 1999 with her second love and companion of 12 years, John Toledo. In 2000, she enjoyed the trip of her lifetime with John, his family and two of her daughters, when she visited Portugal, Azores, and Italy. She was able to visit her family heritage, meet family she had never met before, and visit family she had not seen in many years. In her later years, Pauline made her home between Hanford and Grover Beach. She was blessed with excellent health well into her late eighties.

Pauline is preceded in death by her parents Frank and Mary Bezera, her siblings Mary Viera (John Viera), Adeline Bezera, Rose Bezera, Jemeria Bezera, Frank Bezera, Gabriel Bezera, Mabel Nunes (Herman Nunes), her husband Frank Gravance, her companion John Toledo, her grandson Justin Avila. She is survived by her daughters Janice Gravance, Sandy Freitas (Gene Freitas), and Karen Nester (Bobby Nester), her grandchildren Jared Avila, Travis Freitas (Tanya Freitas), Tanner Freitas, Jonah Nester, Jazmine Nester, Raven Nester, and her great grandchildren Denver Freitas, Sierra Freitas, and River Freitas.

Pauline’s greatest joy was spending time with family and friends. She didn’t work or serve outside of the ranch, her home and family, but she gave deeply of herself to many. She cared for her children and often grandchildren, she cared for her mother-in-law in her later years, then Frank, and later John when their health was failing. She was a beautiful woman of grace, strength and endurance with a kind and gentle spirit; she was humble, loving, and generous. She had a deep faith and personal relationship with Jesus, and she was ready to meet him face to face.

There will be a private service for immediate family members only. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org).