In Memory of Frances Garcia

Back in the early 2000s, VOKRA received a call from Frances Garcia asking for help. She was worried about a cat who had recently shown up in her yard. She wasn’t able to get near the cat, but she feared she was pregnant.

VOKRA co-founders Karen and Maria loaded a trap up in the car and took a trip over to Frances’ house in North Vancouver to see what could be done.  

Frances lived by herself in a large heritage home on West 6th. Originally born in Scotland, Frances and her family moved to North Vancouver in the 1930s, where her father established a pharmacy practice. 

Frances (left) with her family.

“She was a lovely woman,” remembers Karen. “She had loads of stories about the house and all the cats she’d cared for there.”

Karen and Maria successfully trapped the kitty and set it up in a large room in the house to await the birth. It was soon discovered the cat was in fact not pregnant, so they took it to the vet to be spayed and then released it back into Frances’ garden.  

Frances was very grateful for the help and over the years she made several donations to VOKRA. Karen and Maria kept in touch with her and would visit at least once a year.

When Frances suffered a bad fall, she sold the house on West 6th and moved into the Lynn Valley Care Centre where she lived for eight years. 

Frances passed away peacefully on July 5, 2020, at the age of 95. 

Frances will be remembered for her love of animals and in particular for providing a home to a number of orphaned cats and kittens through the years. As Frances passed away with no living relatives, she very graciously left the remainder of her estate to VOKRA. We are honoured she chose to entrust us with her legacy.

Frances is missed by her friends, long term caregiver Fatima, the staff at the Lynn Valley Care Centre and the VOKRA family.

 If you would like to learn more about leaving a bequest to VOKRA in your will click here.