Lois Hartwell (Cabana) Serpa, 80 passed away peacefully on December 9, 2014. She was surrounded by helping hands and loving hearts after a short but brave battle with Small Cell Lung Cancer.
Lois was born January 20, 1934 in Taunton, Massachusetts and grew up in Onset, Massachusetts where she also raised her young family on her own. After over-coming many obstacles, paths connected and she was reunited with her childhood sweetheart, Jimmy. They married in 1972 and after Jimmy retired from the US Coast Guard they decided to head west to the beautiful Seattle area where together they lovingly raised Lois’ young son Chris.
Lois worked for Washington Natural Gas for 18 years as a Control Clerk. Later, Jimmy also worked with her at the gas company in facilities until their retirement in 1992.
Upon retirement, Lois and Jimmy moved to a hilltop home with beautiful views of farmlands and rolling hills in Yoncalla, Oregon where together they enjoyed the peace and solitude of retirement life.
In 1997, they returned “home” to Massachusetts to help care for Lois’ aging mother and to enjoy the area together where their lives began. 
Lois’ love for quilting helped her find a quilting group “The Senior Quilters of Bourne COA where she met many wonderful ladies that together created friendships and countless quilting masterpieces which were raffled to help support the “The Friends of Bourne Council on Aging” in Bourne, Massachusetts.
Lois is a member of The Oregon Society of the Mayflower Descendants a branch of The General Society of Mayflower Descendants (Founded 1897). Her ancestry, through the Shumway family tree was traced and verified by a historian to be a direct descendant of James Alden, Miles Standish and Edward Doty; passengers who sailed on the Mayflower which landed at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts, in 1620. A total of 102 made the voyage. Half died that first winter. Only 26 have descendants. The Mayflower Society was created to remember the Pilgrims who established Plymouth Colony and to honor their memory. It is the goal of The Mayflower Society to join together people who share this heritage and to carry on the memory of our Pilgrim ancestors.
After losing the love of her life in 2010, Lois’ health issues with COPD made it difficult to live independently. Her west coast family opened their hearts with loving hands and moved her back to Renton, Washington with her beloved cat, “Mr. Peaches”. Her family helped support her brave desire to live independently for four years. As family and caregivers, Chris, Jody, Melissa and Megan feel very blessed to have spent this time with her and she will be greatly missed.
Lois. Wife, Mother, Sister, Grandmother and devoted friend, will be remembered for her strength and bravery, charm and patience. Her positive attitude and her smile, no matter what obstacles life dealt her continued through her final moments of life.
Lois is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Christopher & Jody Jones; sister and brother-in-law, Joan & Douglas Sawtell; brother, William (Bill) Cabana; her granddaughters, Elizabeth Decoursey, Melissa and Megan Jones; her great-grandson, Evan Drake Decoursey; along with many dear friends, extended family members and her beloved feline companion “Mr. Peaches”.
She is preceded in death by her parents, George and Rita (Shumway) Cabana; her husband, James L. Serpa (BTC US Coast Guard/SN US Navy); her son, James “Michael” Jones; her daughter, Belinda N. (Jones) Cribben; her brother, George “Teddy” Cabana and sister, Kay (Cabana) Puckett.
A very special thank you to the Southlake Clinic Team at Valley Medical Center; Southlake Pulmonary, Cardiology, Oncology and Radiology; Providence Hospice of Seattle team, Penny, Mary, Linda and Faye. Doina and care team at New Options Elderly care. Your compassion and support helped Lois and her family through this very difficult journey.
Lois has requested to be cremated with her ashes privately interred at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington alongside the love of her life, Jimmy.
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes for donations to be made in the memorial of Lois to your favorite charity or to:
Rebecca’s Rainbow
6513 132nd Ave NE #387
Kirkland, WA 98044
(www.rebeccasrainbow.org)
Mission of “Giving the terminally ill peace of mind by finding new homes for their beloved pets.”
Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Foundation
4800 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105
206-987-2000, 866-987-2000 (toll-free)
https://giveto.seattlechildrens.org/
American Cancer Society
P.O. Box 22718
Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718
https://donate.cancer.org/index
American Lung Association
55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150, Chicago, IL 60601
T: 1-800-LUNGUSA | F: 202-452-1805
http://www.lung.org/donate/