Encarna passed away peacefully at home on the morning of February 5, 2021, a month shy of her 102^nd birthday.  The eldest of 12 children, she was born March 5, 1919, in El Nido (Bacuit), Palawan, in the Philippine Islands to Joaquin Vazquez and Pilar Canovas Vazquez.

Encarna lived a happy life in Manila, where she met and married her husband of nearly 65 years, Anthony L. Ayers. Life for them changed forever on the morning of December 7, 1941, with the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the invasion and occupation by the Japanese. During this time their firstborn daughter, June arrived. They survived the next four years in extreme hardship during very tough times. Her husband was an American citizen and upon the return of General Douglas Macarthur to the Philippine Islands they were given the opportunity to board the U.S. Hospital Ship, the S.S Noordon.  In April of 1945, weighing a mere 75 pounds, she boarded the ship to freedom and the city of San Francisco.  It was with great sadness that she left her mother, father, siblings and family behind.

After arriving in San Francisco, Encarna got her first job as a bilingual secretary at Crown Zellerbach and later as a regional sales manager for the Scott and Gilbert Company. In 1967 she became the Director of Admissions for the Schools of the Sacred Heart where she remained until her retirement.  Her most treasured and proudest accomplishment of that time was in 1956, when she obtained her American citizenship and her right to vote. She, with her open heart and home, became the gateway for many of her family to immigrate to the United States and become American citizens as well.

Most weekends Encarna loved to host a merienda with her extended family. She was accomplished at crochet, loved to travel and spend time at their home in Lake County but her real joy and highest priority was her family. She was the matriarch of a very large family and was a loving mother to her 5 children, as well as a devoted Nana to her 10 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her parents, Joaquin and Pilar Vazquez, her husband, Anthony L. Ayers, her son, Richard L. Ayers (Bonnie), her siblings Josefina Vazquez Zaragoza, Lourdes Vazquez Casado, Antonio Vazquez, Enrique Vazquez, Joaquin Vazquez and Pedro Vazquez 

She is survived by her sisters, Marina Vazquez Davila, Celina Vazquez Parr, Remedios Vazquez Clark, Angelita Vazquez Deakin and Esperanza Vazquez Casal, her children, June Goodyear (Gregory), Kitti Craycroft (John), Elizabeth Ayers (Marty) and Marina Ayers Baird (Tim). She is also survived by her 10 grandchildren, Cathy Kordetzky (Jens), Suzanne Pampanin (Terry) Vincent Pampanin (Marie), Kate Shaw (Jonathan), Rachel Ayers (Rian), David Lakos (Amber), Calut Lakos, Rosey Lakos (Christopher), Dayna Wyman (Katherine) and Shane Baird (Wendy), 15 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren. 

The Ayers family would like to extend a special heartfelt thank you to Luseane Tufui, who was a faithful and loving companion and caregiver to Encarna for the last 13 years.