Margaret Alberta Kolbus-Fontes

Margaret Alberta Kolbus-Fontes Resident of Oakland Died September 7, 2009 following a short illness. Her husband, Andre' T. Fontes of 63 years, proceeded her death. She also preceded in death by her two sisters Elizabeth-Kolbus-Lenhard, Madeline-Kolbus-Stott and brother Richard (Dick) Kolbus. Born in Saginaw, Michigan, April 30, 1910, Then at the age of 10 the family moved to a home on Broadway Terrace. She was one of the many that graduated from the new Oakland High school in 1928 then commuted by ferry to San Francisco to work for Del Monte Corp. This was long before the bridges were built and even cars on the bay bridges. In 1935 she met and married her husband Andre' T. Fontes who proceeded her in death at the age of 99 in March 1998. In 1937 they moved to a new home until her passing. Margaret was a member of Lincoln Child Center, Women's Athletic Club, Leona Services, Pets and Pals, Montclair women's club, Hillside Gardner's, Life Member of the Oakland Zoo now known as The Knowland Zoo, Palm Branch of Children's Hospital, Booth Memorial, Piedmont and Skyline High School Mothers Clubs. She was a member of USC's Alpha Gamma Delta Mothers club. She was also a member of the San Francisco Chapter of the Ikebana Club winning many blue ribbons in the category of flower arranging for full size as well as miniatures for several years at the California Spring and Garden Shows. She was the last living of the original members of the founding of Children's Fairyland in Oakland, (Her husband was known as the Godfather of Fairyland, groundbreaking 1949) Margaret was the mother of Margol Fontes-Roberts and her husband Kenneth , of Cambria, CA, the Reverend Twinkle Ann Fontes-Martin of Oakland, and Melody-Fontes-Andrews-Tereski of Longview WA. She leaves four grandchildren - Professor Dr. Christian Roberts, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, Darrin Roberts, film, editor of Los Angeles, CA, Rebekah Andrews-Gough of Seattle, WA and Abigail Andrews of Portland, Or. She also leaves a step granddaughter Deborah-Martin-Giannini of Verdale, WA and four great-grandchildren, Simon and Levi Gough, Courtney and Connor Giannini. After the death of her husband Andre', Margaret traveled the world with her daughter Twinkle. She celebrated her 92nd birthday on the Freighter Aranui, walking the Great Wall of China, riding a camel in Egypt and an elephant in Thailand. She also traveled several times to Tahiti and Hawaii often accompanied by her granddaughters. During the past several years she enjoyed modeling the original 1928 outfits with daughter Twinkle at the Model A Northwest Regional Meet as a member of both the Henry's A's of Livermore and the Acorn A's of Castro Valley, as well as several local touring events in an original 1930 Town Sedan. A celebration of Life will be held Saturday, October 10, 2009 , 11:00 Am at Leona Lodge, 4444 Mountain Blvd, Oakland, CA. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Hospice. They were invaluable to Twinkle while she cared for her mother during the last four months of her life. The address for Hospice that attended is: Sutter VNA and Hospice Foundation, Emeryville, San Leandro Gift Giving, 1900 Powell Street, Suite 300, Emeryville, CA 94608,or any other Hospice Foundation in your area.