Jean Karla Guardiola
Obituary
NEWTON — Jean Karla Guardiola, 41, died on Saturday (Jan.
21, 2012) at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice at St. Francis in Wichita.
She was born on Dec. 27, 1970, in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, to
Robert Ratzlaff and Maria Caballero. She was a graduate of Bethel College in
North Newton, and was working on her master’s degree from Newman University in
Wichita.
Karla was a drug and alcohol counselor with Mirror Inc. in
Newton and worked part time with USD 373, also in Newton, as a social worker
helping families with parenting.
Karla was a loving mother, sister and daughter who
absolutely loved to be surrounded with friends and family who loved and cared
for her. Karla loved being a mother and caring for her children and watching
them grow. As her kids, Alex and Jessica, we couldn’t have asked for a better
mom. She was always there for us and understood better than anybody else did.
Karla became a social worker because of her passion for helping others.
Karla is continued by her former husband and father of her
children, Juan Guardiola of Costa Rica; son, Alex Guardiola and Jessica
Guardiola, both of Newton; her parents, Robert Ratzlaff and Maria Caballero of
Kansas and Bolivia, respectively; and brothers and sisters, Mauricio Salvador,
Heidi Xiong, Sonia Elkes, Irene Soderstrom, Erika Kirkland, Adina Ratzlaff,
Derek Ratzlaff and Larry Ratzlaff.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. The family will receive friends
following the Rosary at the church. Mass of the Resurrection will be at 11 a.m.
Friday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, with the Rev. Juan Garza
Celebrant.
Memorials may be directed to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital,
in care of Petersen Funeral Home, 215 N. Main St., Newton, KS 67114.
