Obituary for Virginia Mary Ann Rivera
On the morning of November 11th, 2020, at the age of 78, Virginia Mary Ann Rivera passed away peacefully at home. She was surrounded by her loved ones, with whom she spent her final days.
Mary Ann was born in Bakersfield, CA on October, 5th 1942. She was a homemaker, mother of six, and proud grandmother of 18 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. Mom’s greatest joy was being with her family. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her family. She often had a house full of grandkids that she was babysitting, and visiting friends and family. She never missed a graduation or birthday party. She loved to dance and party which earned her the name “Margarita Mary”. Not only was she the life of the party she was the heart of our family.
Mary was so loving. She always greeted her kids, family, friends, and even strangers, warmly. She was easy going, spontaneous, and wild at heart. Mary was also a generous and forgiving person. She was a great listener. People were drawn to her, as she was very loveable and kind hearted. She enjoyed spending time in her garden. You could often find her and her lifelong love, Julian Palenzuela, sitting outside on their patio watching their cats and dog Rocky. Together with Julian she owned and operated Kernita Trailer Park for 46 years. Mary liked to travel. She loved to take the train to visit her brother, Benjamin Rivera, in Sacramento and see her sister Ruth Bishop in Colorado. Other memorable trips were to Washington DC, Hawaii, Mexico and a cruise to Alaska.
She is survived by 6 children and their spouses Miguel and Tressa Madrid, Corina Stanley, Debbie and Jorge Bolanos, Carmen and Joey Hernandez, Jackie and Joey West, Julia and Dr. Chris Kiuftis. We will miss her dearly, but we take comfort in knowing she is reunited in heaven with her sister, best friend, and partner in crime Josephine Rivera, son in law George Stanley, Grand daughter Jaime Emerson, and her beloved grandson little Adam “Bat Man” West.
Mary Ann was born in Bakersfield, CA on October, 5th 1942. She was a homemaker, mother of six, and proud grandmother of 18 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. Mom’s greatest joy was being with her family. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her family. She often had a house full of grandkids that she was babysitting, and visiting friends and family. She never missed a graduation or birthday party. She loved to dance and party which earned her the name “Margarita Mary”. Not only was she the life of the party she was the heart of our family.
Mary was so loving. She always greeted her kids, family, friends, and even strangers, warmly. She was easy going, spontaneous, and wild at heart. Mary was also a generous and forgiving person. She was a great listener. People were drawn to her, as she was very loveable and kind hearted. She enjoyed spending time in her garden. You could often find her and her lifelong love, Julian Palenzuela, sitting outside on their patio watching their cats and dog Rocky. Together with Julian she owned and operated Kernita Trailer Park for 46 years. Mary liked to travel. She loved to take the train to visit her brother, Benjamin Rivera, in Sacramento and see her sister Ruth Bishop in Colorado. Other memorable trips were to Washington DC, Hawaii, Mexico and a cruise to Alaska.
She is survived by 6 children and their spouses Miguel and Tressa Madrid, Corina Stanley, Debbie and Jorge Bolanos, Carmen and Joey Hernandez, Jackie and Joey West, Julia and Dr. Chris Kiuftis. We will miss her dearly, but we take comfort in knowing she is reunited in heaven with her sister, best friend, and partner in crime Josephine Rivera, son in law George Stanley, Grand daughter Jaime Emerson, and her beloved grandson little Adam “Bat Man” West.