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A mass celebrating the life of Margaret Cragin Self will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 21 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church.
Margaret grew up on Lincoln Street in Bakersfield, attending St. Joseph's Grammar School and Garces Memorial High School. It was at Bakersfield College that a young man named Bob Self noticed her working the student registration desk, and that was the beginning of a lifetime of love. Bob and Margaret were married on June 21, 1953.
With Margaret's encouragement, Bob graduated from UCLA as she worked to put him through school. The Navy then took them to Coronado where Bob was appointed legal officer aboard the USS WASP. It was there he discovered his passion for the law which led them to Boalt Hall School of Law at U.C. Berkeley. She loved sharing stories of the fun they had living in condemned student housing with the Law School Gang who became life-long friends. She always laughed about the Ph.T (Putting Hubby Through) degree from Boalt Hall that hung on her office wall.
They returned home to Bakersfield, had three daughters, and spent many happy years on both Harmony and Skokie Drives. Their parties were legendary, and their home was the epicenter of fun with Fourth of July and Christmas parties, Random Tandem tennis tournaments, end-of-school swim parties, and Saturday night tennis and dinner with friends. Their stories and laughter went into the wee hours, many times to the dismay of the girls who just wanted to get a good night's rest. Yet the fun didn't stop there - out of town memories were also created with HEPS (Huggs, Edis, Pauldens, and Selfs) tennis weekends, cruises, Lake Tahoe family vacations, and San Francisco Christmas shopping trips.
Margaret was fiercely loyal to Bob and so proud of his legal accomplishments as a founding partner of the Young, Wooldridge, Paulden & Self law firm. At the time it was considered one of Bakersfield's premier firms, and Bob became known as one of Bakersfield's finest legal counselors, even arguing several cases before the California Supreme Court. Margaret beamed with pride when, to this day, people would recognize her name and share a story of how Bob helped them with their legal needs, commenting on what a professional, admirable man he was.
Margaret was a founding member of the Kern County Bar Association Lawyers Wives, leading courthouse tours to school children, teaching them about the judicial process. She was a member of the Bakersfield Racquet Club, Junior League of Bakersfield and the Blue Ribbon Society. She enjoyed St. Francis Parish Women of Worship (WOW) meetings and the Bakersfield Symphony. She amazed and inspired us all with her youthful attitude and positive spirit that kept her on the tennis court and weightlifting at Lifetime Fitness. She had neither the time nor interest in "getting older." She was preceded in death by her husband Robert J. Self and brother Edward Cragin. She leaves behind a brother, Daniel Cragin of Santa Monica, three daughters; Susan Self of Brentwood, Linda (Roger) Griess of Bakersfield, and Lisa (Paul) Tyler of West Los Angeles. She also leaves behind her three beloved grandchildren who were the light of her life - Mary Margaret, Robert Jacob and Martha Grace Tyler.
Margaret loved her faith, family, friends, a great game of tennis, playing bridge, working out, dinners at Mexicali, a good laugh, and a "nice buttery chardonnay." She spent the past five years enjoying her time with "the ladies of The Greens." When Bob passed away in 2009, life was never again the same, yet she knew he wanted her to create a wonderful, rich life for herself. She often said, "If I can't be with Bob, this is the next best thing." Our gratitude goes out to her special friends Doris, Ruthie, Carolyn, Nancy, Barbara, Marti, Connie, Mary, Judy, Sally, Bonnie, Pat, Lee, Perky - too many to mention. A special thanks to Don Hall and Dick Giles for their unwavering loyalty to her and Bob over a lifetime. She lived a full, happy life, filled with love and laughter, and we will miss her forever.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests contributions to the Bakersfield College Foundation/Robert J. Self Endowment Fund.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Sponsored by Hillcrest Memorial Park and Mortuary.
Linda and family, so sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved mom. Sounds like she and your dad packed a lot of life into their years. The obituary was beautiful and captured your mom's essence (especially for someone who never met her).
Thoughts and prayers are with you. God bless.
Jack De Vries
June 27, 2016
Very nice lady....she took several of my Maricopa 8th grades on the Court House tours. I was always glad when she led the tour.
Keith Reese
June 20, 2016
Linda Griess
June 18, 2016
I was saddened to learn of Margaret's death. She was a remarkable lady whom I had the pleasure of meeting when we first moved to Bakersfield. She welcomed me into the Law Wives Court Tour group almost as soon as we arrived. Our husbands became friends as well through their careers as lawyers. Margaret was kind and patient in helping me learn the process for conducting the tours. I learned so much from her and the other ladies involved. I moved on to teaching which precluded me from continuing Law Wives but I kept in touch with Margaret some over the years. She was a great model and will be greatly missed. Alas, we will be out of town on the day of her service. Our prayers will be with the family. Requiescat in pace.
Bee Barmann, Bakersfield, California
Beatrice Barmann
June 16, 2016
Awwww...I am sooo sorry to hear about Margaret's passing. I was her and Bobs dental hygienist for about 30 yrs...i LOVED those two wonderful people. I know how much they LOVED you all...especially those beautiful grandchildren!!! I have missed Bob these past years and now I will be missing Margaret..but what a legacy they have left you kids!
May God Bless you all and may your memories bring smiles to your hearts!!!
Tears and Hugs,
Marci
Marci Knudsen-Kizziar
June 16, 2016
Aunt Margaret or "Auntie M" as we called her, was a force to be reckoned with. She lived a long full, fun filled life. She stayed active and busy. She loved Uncle Bob entirely. In the end, it is hard to say goodbye, but with a well lived life there is little regret.. So happy she is with Uncle Bob again watching over us all.
Carolyn Cragin Duncan
June 16, 2016
Linda Griess
June 16, 2016
Sorry to hear of Margaret's passing. My prayers are with you and your family. I was a pleasure serving her and being her friend during my time at Mercy Plaza Pharmacy.
Nancy Burcher-Wagner
June 16, 2016
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