Carolina State

Obituary for Carolina State

Carolina State, née Tovar, was born in El Paso, Texas on October 16, 1966.  She was the daughter of Agustin and Consuelo Tovar, and raised along with siblings Carlos, Agustin, Alicia, Maria, Leticia, and Guillermo. She grew up in El Paso and graduated from Burges High School, having been active in basketball and other activities.  In 1985, her family moved to Southern California for better employment opportunities, and among other jobs, she worked for the City of Covina while studying for her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Cal Poly Pomona.  After graduating in 1994, she began her career as an auditor with the California State Department of Health Services, very much enjoying the work, travel, and especially the friendships she made there. 

On a blind date arranged by her sister on March 18, 1994, she met her future husband, Ted State, who proposed after only six months – Ted marrying her for the biggest heart of anyone he had ever known, and Carolina marrying him for his ability to make her laugh; maybe there were other factors as well, but these were quite important! On October 21, 1995, they were married at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Corona, California where they were members, and in 2020 they celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary.

Carolina and Ted first settled in Orange, California, and had a son, Johnny, and daughter, Carol, who are now 23 and 21 years old, respectively.  While Carolina greatly enjoyed her profession, she chose to make the sacrifice of being a homemaker instead, to maintain a healthy and happy home, and most importantly, to nurture Johnny and Carol as they made their way through the sacraments of the church, and through grade school.  In 2001, the family moved to Yorba Linda, California, where they have lived happily ever since. 

Carolina sang in the Church Choir, and assisted with the kids’ religious education.  Over the years, she and the family enjoyed many years of road trips to national parks, scouting activities, family reunions and other gatherings, school events, soccer and basketball games, Orchestra Boosters, and countless other activities.  Spiritually, she benefitted greatly from, and loved, the Womens’ and Couples’ retreats she attended at the Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California.  These retreats were life-changing, both with respect to her individual spiritual development, and her marriage vocation with Ted.

In 2018, Carolina was diagnosed with recurrence of a previously treated cancer.  For the next three years, she underwent multiple cancer therapies, and being tough as nails as she was, fairly shrugged-off the side effects and continued to live a full life with her family. Sadly, in May 2021 the cancer had progressed to the point where further treatment was not an option, and her health declined rapidly. When the news of her terminal condition spread, there was an outpouring of support and prayers from family, friends, neighbors, and community members, testifying to the positive impact she had made on so many lives.  Even though short at 54 years, hers was a life well lived – she really made a difference.  On May 29, 2021, Carolina passed from this life in peace and surrounded by love.  She is preceded in death by her parents, and survived by her husband and children, and her siblings. 

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