Mary F. Hernandez

1935 - 2010

Mary F. Hernandez, born in Moorpark on Dec. 22, 1935, has now gone on to be with her lord. She passed away peacefully on Dec. 6, 2010, completely surrounded by family.

In her professional life she was a nurse at St Johns Hospital, where she retired after 28 years of service and after gaining the respect of patients and co-workers alike due to her hard work and loving bedside manner.

But her most important job of all was also a most beautiful gift to us, her family. She was the Matriarch of our family and the glue that brought us and kept us together. She always treated everyone alike- you were loved equally no matter what you had done, present or past, good or bad. She always had her arms, her heart and her home wide open to welcome you in. She cherished life, time spent camping with her family, tending to her meticulous garden and laughing with all. We will all miss her quick wit, her laugh and her smile.

Mary was a loving, accepting, hard-working and strong woman that brought inspiration to all she came in contact with. She was the cornerstone of our family and her reach was tremendous. She will be missed by so many family and friends. Words cannot express how fortunate we feel to have had her in our lives and although we will miss her terribly, we can take solace in that she will no longer feel pain. She will live on in our actions as we remember all of the life lessons she taught us and as we strive to live up to the person of high integrity that she always proved to be.

She is survived by her daughters, Judy Garcia, (Robert), and Joanne Hernandez; and her sons, Jesse, Daniel and Raymond Hernandez Jr. (Sandra); her sisters, Vina Rodriguez from Fresno and Nancy Lyons from Kansas City, Mo.; brother, Johnny Fuentes from Oxnard; and 11 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, 20 nieces and nephews, 43 great-nieces and nephews and many great-great-grandchildren, extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her son, Jimmy Ray Hernandez; her sister, Carmen Tafoya; and her brothers, David, Raymond and Daniel Fuentes.

Visitation is planned from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec, 10, with an evening prayer service at 7 p.m., at Camino del Sol Funeral Home, 200 North C Street, Oxnard. A chapel service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, also at Camino del Sol Funeral Home, with burial to follow at Santa Clara Catholic Cemetery, Oxnard.

For maps and directions to all ceremony locations and to sign the family's online guest book, please visit www.caminodelsolfuneralhome.com. Camino del Sol, Funeral Home & Crematory, A Heritage Life Tribute Center, 200 North C St., Oxnard, is assisting the family with arrangements, 483-3443.