Cora Chennault's Obituary
Cora Chennault passed away peacefully at her home in Newark, California on January 28 at the age of 75. She was the eldest daughter of Sals and Gregoria Alquizalas. She attended Concordia High School in Makati, Philippines and then graduated from Mission High School in San Francisco when she emigrated to the United States with her family as a young teen. She started her career working for the federal government at 19 years old, with a brief stint at the US Postal Service. Her father then encouraged her to apply for a data analyst position at the Presidio in San Francisco where he also worked. It was at the Presidio where she met her future husband, a fellow data analyst and a member of the military, Joseph “Joe” Chennault. After a two year courtship that began with a friendly bet on a 49ers game, they eventually got married and had three sons. Sharing a passion for travel, Cora and Joe visited over 85 countries and 6 continents in their 54 years of marriage. They were gourmands who immersed themselves in the culture of each country they visited. Cora also embraced Joe’s Chinese and French heritage, following Chinese New Year traditions and proudly collecting memorabilia on the military legacy of her father-in-law, General Claire Lee Chennault, leader of the World War II Flying Tigers. After retiring from her management position in government, she spent some time at her home in Pacifica raising her sons. She then eventually joined Joe’s thriving CPA firm in San Francisco to help him run the business. When they both decided to retire and sell the company, they continued to travel the world. Cora was determined to live her life fully and was graceful yet resilient when faced with physical adversity. She will be deeply missed and remembered as a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister and an avid 49ers and Warriors fan. She is survived by her husband Joe, her sons Edward (wife Viki), Jay (wife Cat) and Ryan (fiancée Gina), her grandsons Dylan and Chase and her sisters Liza, Amelia, Georgia, Susan, Marylou and her many nieces and nephews. Visitation services will be held at Fremont Memorial Chapel on Wednesday, February 19 at 4pm-8pm for Viewing and Rosary and at Chapel of the Chimes Hayward Thursday, February 20 at 10am for the Funeral Service followed by Internment.
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