Margarita Teresa Bernardi passed away at her home in Vacaville, CA on August 20, 2016 following a year long battle with Lung Disease. She was born on October 15, 1932 in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, the daughter of Maria and Tobias Barrantes. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband of 50 years, Roy Lee Bernardi, Sr.; her beloved son, Roy Lee Bernardi, Jr. and her sister, Angela Barrantes. She is survived by her son, Richard "Rick" Dean Bernardi; her daughter, Carol Ann Crosby (Glen) and daughter-in-law, Diane Ardans as well as her brother, Carlos Barrantes (Ana) and sister, Elisa Torres (Rafa). She also leaves behind 7 grandchildren, Crista Hill (Tim); Giovanni (Sara) and Bruno Bernardi; Brooke, Maia, Landon and Ryder Crosby; one great-grandchild, Jarrett Hill; numerous nieces and nephews; and her fur baby, Tiger. A Private Memorial service will be held in Oklahoma where she will be laid to rest alongside her beloved husband, Roy. In lieu of flowers, her family asks that a donation be made to the Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation at www.crhf.org or St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 560 Maple Ave., Holtville, CA, 92250. Margarita came to the United States from Costa Rica in 1950 at the age of 17 to attend college at East Central State University in Ada, Oklahoma, where she met her future husband, Roy Lee Bernardi, Sr. at the skating rink. After a short courtship, they were married on May 23, 1952. One year later, their son Roy Lee, Jr. was born, followed 15 months later by their son Richard Dean in 1955. The family of four left Oklahoma in 1958 and headed west where they settled in Holtville, CA. Roy was a science teacher at Holtville Junior High, as well as a geography and astronomy professor at Imperial Valley College. In 1969, they welcomed a daughter, Carol Ann, to their family. For the most part, Margarita was a homemaker, although she worked for a few years as a part time aide at Holtville Junior High and a Mary Kay consultant. As a former longtime resident of Holtville, Margarita was involved for many years in the Women's Club of Holtville. She was a parishioner of St. Joseph's Catholic Church. She was also a member of the Barbara Worth Country Club. She loved playing golf, bingo and bridge. She was an avid reader and lover of Star Trek and the LA Dodgers. She was a great cook and won many awards in Holtville's Carrot Festival cooking contests. We will remember her as a social butterfly with a fighter's spirit, who had great love for family, friends and her native country, Costa Rica. She will be greatly missed. Pura Vida, Mom! Her family would like to thank the people of Holtville for the lifetime of fun and friendship she shared with them as a part of their small town community, the staff and residents of Brookdale Vacaville for their love and kindness in making Margarita feel at home there and Vitas Hospice Care for the compassion and loving care they showed in the most difficult of times.