Obituary for Margaret Long (Marie)
Our queen and matriarch Margaret Fonseca Long passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on April 6, 2022, at the age of 96 in Bakersfield, California. She was preceded in death by her first husband Arnold Penilla Fonseca, and second husband Frank Long. She was born on January 26, 1926, in Chatsworth, California as Margaret Marie Lopez to parents Irene and Esteban Lopez. The youngest of eight children, her late siblings include Louis, Manuel, Joe, Victoria, Mary, Esteban, and Esperanza (Hope).
Margaret, known lovingly by most of her family as Nana, married Arnold on April 21, 1944, in Chatsworth and is survived by their six children including daughters Marie (Danny) Duran, June (Roy) Smith, Adel (Bill) Martin, Becky (Paul) Rocha, Ann (Scott) Stevens and son Arnold, Jr. also known as Bates. She has 19 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren and was preceded in death by three of her grandchildren Paul Butch Rocha, Jr., Joe Fonseca and Roy Smith, Jr. and one great-grandchild Jackson Ryan Stevens.
She lived in the San Fernando Valley until the mid-1970s when she, Arnold and some of the younger children moved to Bakersfield. Margaret had a strong faith in God, loved cooking, providing for her family, the L.A. Dodgers, wine, Las Vegas, singing, dancing, music, and visits to the beauty salon. Always camera ready, she was a classy lady who loved to dress to the nines, and never left the house without her glitzy jewelry completing her trademark look. Her favorite film was The Wizard of Oz and she could sing Over The Rainbow better than Judy Garland. She was a lover of dogs and had several over the course of her life including Tiger, Gigi, Fufu, Missy and her beloved Lulu who will miss her greatly.
We all will miss Nana's home-made tortillas, birthday phone calls, her laugh, warmth, and beautiful smile. Our hearts are broken having to say good-bye and our lives will not be the same without her. We love you Mom/Nana always and forever.
A funeral mass will be celebrated on Thursday, May 5 at 10:00 A.M. at St. Francis Catholic Church, 900 H Street, Bakersfield. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park Southwest, 2739 Panama Lane, Bakersfield.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish may donate to Links for Life (linksforlife.org), a local nonprofit breast cancer support and services organization located in Bakersfield, in the honor of Margaret Fonseca Long.
Margaret, known lovingly by most of her family as Nana, married Arnold on April 21, 1944, in Chatsworth and is survived by their six children including daughters Marie (Danny) Duran, June (Roy) Smith, Adel (Bill) Martin, Becky (Paul) Rocha, Ann (Scott) Stevens and son Arnold, Jr. also known as Bates. She has 19 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren and was preceded in death by three of her grandchildren Paul Butch Rocha, Jr., Joe Fonseca and Roy Smith, Jr. and one great-grandchild Jackson Ryan Stevens.
She lived in the San Fernando Valley until the mid-1970s when she, Arnold and some of the younger children moved to Bakersfield. Margaret had a strong faith in God, loved cooking, providing for her family, the L.A. Dodgers, wine, Las Vegas, singing, dancing, music, and visits to the beauty salon. Always camera ready, she was a classy lady who loved to dress to the nines, and never left the house without her glitzy jewelry completing her trademark look. Her favorite film was The Wizard of Oz and she could sing Over The Rainbow better than Judy Garland. She was a lover of dogs and had several over the course of her life including Tiger, Gigi, Fufu, Missy and her beloved Lulu who will miss her greatly.
We all will miss Nana's home-made tortillas, birthday phone calls, her laugh, warmth, and beautiful smile. Our hearts are broken having to say good-bye and our lives will not be the same without her. We love you Mom/Nana always and forever.
A funeral mass will be celebrated on Thursday, May 5 at 10:00 A.M. at St. Francis Catholic Church, 900 H Street, Bakersfield. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park Southwest, 2739 Panama Lane, Bakersfield.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish may donate to Links for Life (linksforlife.org), a local nonprofit breast cancer support and services organization located in Bakersfield, in the honor of Margaret Fonseca Long.