Obituary of Leila Borla

Leila F. Ryles Borla, 82, of Gonzales passed away May 18, 2008 in Salinas. Born January 2, 1926, in Bourbon County, Kentucky, Leila was raised in Lexington. But she spent most of her adult life in the Salinas Valley--an area she loved for its beauty. After graduating in 1944 from Lafayette High School in Lexington, Leila trained as a registered nurse with the Cadet Nurse Corp during World War II. She graduated from The Good Samaritan Hospital Nursing School, affiliated with the University of Kentucky, in 1947. Her nursing career sent her from Lexington, KY, to Fort Lauderdale, FL, and eventually to California and the newly-opened Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital in 1953. There she met her husband of 52 years, Harold Borla. They married December 24, 1955, and settled in Gonzales. Retiring from nursing in 1957 to start a family, her second career as an artist began in the latter part of her life after her three children were raised. An accomplished oil painter, she studied with artist John Roby and was a member of the Salinas Fine Art Club. She completed over 200 paintings during her creative career and specialized in westerns, local ranches, and Salinas Valley historic sites. Besides painting, Leila also loved reading and traveling. In fact, she and her husband visited most of the United States and journeyed to many parts of the world, including Europe, Canada, South America, Russia, China, and Egypt. Despite Leila's professional accomplishments, her favorite role was wife, mother, and grandmother. She is survived by her husband, Harold Borla of Gonzales; three children, Joe Borla of Sonora, Linda Borla of Long Beach, and Janet Valentin of Salinas; as well as four grandchildren: Joey Borla, Natalie Borla, Mikey Valentin, and Rachel Valentin. She is also remembered and loved by dozens of other children as the neighborhood mom. Much loved by her friends and family for her gentleness, kindness, generosity, and sense of humor, she will be missed. A private graveside service at the Gonzales Cemetery will be held by the immediate family. Donations in Leila's memory can be made to Alzheimer's Disease Research, The American Health Assistance Foundation, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, MD 20871.