Flora DaRoza


Fresh off the boat from Portugal, Flora DaRoza barely hedging off her late teens falls in love and has 2 children Julia and Josephine with her husband Lewis. An increasing amount of mystery was growing around Flora. Lewis took a trip back to Portugal to find out that the rumors were true. Flora had left a child with her parents back in Portugal. Lewis divorced her and she was suddenly left to fend for herself and her two children. Flora was incredibly beautiful in her youth but quickly grew to look old, and was known to many as grandma.


With 8 total known children Flora was set to adopt her granddaughter. Flora’s daughter Julia left Lorraine with Flora after a bitter event led Lorraine’s father to suicide. Flora raised Lorraine from 10 months old onward, rarely having enough money to let Lorraine have a slice of bologna. They were incredibly poor. The two roamed from odd jobs in backbreaking wash houses and living in shacks to Josephine’s dairy ranch to help around the house which give Lorraine enough room to grow.

Tough as Portuguese nails Flora was incredibly strict with Lorraine and would chase her around the ranch house with a switch dodging cowboys and circling tables. Flora did not appreciate sass.

Life at a glance

  • Josephine Coster
    (Sister)
  • Flora Coster
    (Mother)
  • Lorraine DaRoza
    (Daughter)
  • Gail Haggard
    (Great Grand Daughter)
  • Gwen Wilder
    (Grand Daughter)

Read her relatives' stories

It has taken years to collect, curate and record my family's history and I've barely scratched the surface. What you see in this document is an exploration of an atypical Californian family. A common theme throughout my lineage is strong women providing for themselves and their kin passed their due. It's clear to see the turning points in my Great Great Grandmother's life and how it has rippled down generations.

Each person portrayed here is done so with love and kindness, and I hope that I have done their character justice.

A Study Of Family

by Jonathan Haggard

All icons from The Noun Project.