Obituary for Virginia Mary Herrera
Virginia Monares Herrera, passed away on April 28th, 2021 in Bakersfield, California at the age of 73.
Virginia was born to Eddie and Hope Monares on October 24, 1947, in Salinas, California. She attended El Sausal Jr. High School and eventually graduated from North Salinas High School in 1965. On October 9, 1965 she married her high school sweetheart, Joe Richard Herrera. Together they raised three children, Richard, Anne and Marc and had five grandchildren, who were the center of her world, Rigney, Reilly, Julie, Cain and Alice. Virginia was employed as a driver’s license examiner with the Department of Motor Vehicles and later retired from the Kern County Department of Human Services.
Her husband, Richard would often say she “Virginia, never met a stranger in her life” And he was right. If you met her for the first time you felt like you knew her forever. She had no problem talking to professional athletes, politicians or a stranger at a restaurant. Although small in stature, she lit up the room with personality.
She had so many interests in her life, including her and Richard’s membership in the Kern Country Chevrolet Limited Car Club. She loved to shop and could out shop the best of them. Turn her loose at the outlets and you might not see her for days. QVC and Cracker Barrell were a couple of her latest victims. Her motto was “it’s cute, I like it, I am buying it”.
What began as trip to the Hallmark Store on the day after Christmas, for half price wrapping paper and an ornament or two, became an obsession for decades. That trip led to her annual open house to show off her Christmas “treasures.” Soon one tree couldn’t hold all her “treasures” and she needed another and another. Her collection eventually grew into 37 trees on display, every year. Each tree was individually themed with Superheroes, Star Wars, 49ers/ Giants, western, and so many others. No matter what holiday, Virginia had a display for the season.
During her life she gave back in her small way and sometimes big ways. She was involved with Young Homemakers in Hollister, CA, who raised money for a Jaws of Life for the local community, when Richard was a firefighter with the Hollister Fire Department. Locally, she participated with the Christmas Cottage. More recently she got involved with the Kern County Honor Flight Program and with Helping One Woman, a program that helped local women or their families that were faced with adversity.
Virginia was also a die-hard San Francisco Giants and 49ers fan and she blead cardinal and gold for her beloved USC Trojans. Fight On!
She loved everything Disney and her boyfriend, Mickey Mouse. She loved going to Disneyland throughout her life with her husband, children and grandchildren. Any time she could, she would volunteer to guide friends and family through the Magic Kingdom. She even got to visit Disneyworld over the years with her grandchildren, Rigney and Julie.
The only thing more important in her life was her family, especially her husband. Virginia and Richard were married for 51 years, were best friends and inseparable. They met in junior high school and were friends in high school, as she would copy his homework, because she was “too busy” to do her own. They began dating their Senior year and married after graduation.
They lived throughout California, as Richard’s law enforcement career progressed. They resided in Hollister, King City, Salinas, Pleasanton, Stockton and Bakersfield, for the last 39 years. They were always at each other’s side, through thick and thin and in sickness and in heath. He was the true love of her life and she missed him daily upon his passing.
Virginia was proceeded in death by her beloved husband, Richard; parents, Eddie and Hope Monares; and sisters, Julie Monares Venuti and Nancy Gore. She is survived by her children and their spouses Richard and Elizabeth Herrera of Tucson, Arizona; Anne and Glenn Bowles of Bakersfield; and Marc and Janelle Herrera of Bakersfield. She is also survived by the lights of her life, her grandchildren: Rigney Herrera of Kings Point, New York, Reilly McWilliams, Julie Bowles, and Cain and Alice Herrera of Bakersfield.
Services will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 900 H St. Bakersfield, CA 93394 at 10 a.m., on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.
Viewing will be held at Greenlawn Southwest Memorial Park 2739 Panama Lane, Bakersfield, CA 93313, Celebration of Life (Building D) from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, May 10, 2021.
Virginia was born to Eddie and Hope Monares on October 24, 1947, in Salinas, California. She attended El Sausal Jr. High School and eventually graduated from North Salinas High School in 1965. On October 9, 1965 she married her high school sweetheart, Joe Richard Herrera. Together they raised three children, Richard, Anne and Marc and had five grandchildren, who were the center of her world, Rigney, Reilly, Julie, Cain and Alice. Virginia was employed as a driver’s license examiner with the Department of Motor Vehicles and later retired from the Kern County Department of Human Services.
Her husband, Richard would often say she “Virginia, never met a stranger in her life” And he was right. If you met her for the first time you felt like you knew her forever. She had no problem talking to professional athletes, politicians or a stranger at a restaurant. Although small in stature, she lit up the room with personality.
She had so many interests in her life, including her and Richard’s membership in the Kern Country Chevrolet Limited Car Club. She loved to shop and could out shop the best of them. Turn her loose at the outlets and you might not see her for days. QVC and Cracker Barrell were a couple of her latest victims. Her motto was “it’s cute, I like it, I am buying it”.
What began as trip to the Hallmark Store on the day after Christmas, for half price wrapping paper and an ornament or two, became an obsession for decades. That trip led to her annual open house to show off her Christmas “treasures.” Soon one tree couldn’t hold all her “treasures” and she needed another and another. Her collection eventually grew into 37 trees on display, every year. Each tree was individually themed with Superheroes, Star Wars, 49ers/ Giants, western, and so many others. No matter what holiday, Virginia had a display for the season.
During her life she gave back in her small way and sometimes big ways. She was involved with Young Homemakers in Hollister, CA, who raised money for a Jaws of Life for the local community, when Richard was a firefighter with the Hollister Fire Department. Locally, she participated with the Christmas Cottage. More recently she got involved with the Kern County Honor Flight Program and with Helping One Woman, a program that helped local women or their families that were faced with adversity.
Virginia was also a die-hard San Francisco Giants and 49ers fan and she blead cardinal and gold for her beloved USC Trojans. Fight On!
She loved everything Disney and her boyfriend, Mickey Mouse. She loved going to Disneyland throughout her life with her husband, children and grandchildren. Any time she could, she would volunteer to guide friends and family through the Magic Kingdom. She even got to visit Disneyworld over the years with her grandchildren, Rigney and Julie.
The only thing more important in her life was her family, especially her husband. Virginia and Richard were married for 51 years, were best friends and inseparable. They met in junior high school and were friends in high school, as she would copy his homework, because she was “too busy” to do her own. They began dating their Senior year and married after graduation.
They lived throughout California, as Richard’s law enforcement career progressed. They resided in Hollister, King City, Salinas, Pleasanton, Stockton and Bakersfield, for the last 39 years. They were always at each other’s side, through thick and thin and in sickness and in heath. He was the true love of her life and she missed him daily upon his passing.
Virginia was proceeded in death by her beloved husband, Richard; parents, Eddie and Hope Monares; and sisters, Julie Monares Venuti and Nancy Gore. She is survived by her children and their spouses Richard and Elizabeth Herrera of Tucson, Arizona; Anne and Glenn Bowles of Bakersfield; and Marc and Janelle Herrera of Bakersfield. She is also survived by the lights of her life, her grandchildren: Rigney Herrera of Kings Point, New York, Reilly McWilliams, Julie Bowles, and Cain and Alice Herrera of Bakersfield.
Services will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 900 H St. Bakersfield, CA 93394 at 10 a.m., on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.
Viewing will be held at Greenlawn Southwest Memorial Park 2739 Panama Lane, Bakersfield, CA 93313, Celebration of Life (Building D) from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, May 10, 2021.