Margarita Lara Hlavnicka

On behalf of our family, We would like to extend our gratitude to everyone here celebrating the life and legacy of Margarita Hlavnicka. Thank you to everyone who has sent their condolences, for every phone call, every text, flowers and all of the prayers we received has truly been a reminder of the impact she had on so many people.

Margarita was the daughter of Refugio and Andrea Gomez. A sister to 7 siblings,  a wonderful wife to Duane, a loving mother to Alan, Roxanne & Eric, a mother-in-law to Mike and Ana, a Grandmother to 7 and a Great Grandmother to 12.

Margarita Lara Hlavnicka was born on April 24th, 1936 in Chihuahua, Mexico. At the age of 8, the Gomez family migrated to Southern California settling down in the City of Wilmington in 1944. Shortly after graduating high school, she met a dashing young man Duane Hlavnicka who swept her off her feet. They dated for one year before becoming engaged and shortly after, married on June 24, 1956. The newlyweds lived in Long Beach and eventually settled in Anaheim where they became a party of 5 with their 3 children.

Saying Margarita had an extraordinary 86 years of life, would be an understatement. She had a zest for living, left a lasting impression and touched so many people wherever she went. Her passion for so many things led her to many talents and interests. To name a few – jet setting with her Circle of Friend’s Club, hosting bunco game nights, sewing, her natural act for gardening and winning tournaments with her bowling leagues. Everyone knows she took pride in her plants and flowers in her backyard. That was her happy place, where she nurtured, watered, grew and talked to them. She loved many things, however art was her biggest passion. She painted the most beautiful pictures, expressed her creativity through designing shirts for Circle of Friends and crafted colorful hats and sweatshirts for boutique shows and loved ones. She was a collector of all things and saw the beauty in everything, in her eyes everything was a piece of art. Her appreciation and sheer excitement over even the smallest things was unmatched. She was the true definition of what seeing life through rose colored glasses was.

Everything she did and touched turned to gold, even the SLOT MACHINES! Game nights were the best. Playing card games with her was an automatic loss. She would look at you, smile and say “hey baby” as she grabbed all the money on the table while Grandpa sat nearby giggling.

She knew how to have a good time. She was always up for a good theme party, arriving wearing her giant bright colored glasses and wigs, eccentric clothing, glittered nails and rings on every finger. She was the most dazzling and best dressed, hands down!

She loved hiking in the high desert with her husband and son Eric by her side, as they collected rocks. They would sit outside, enjoying each other’s company while making rock crosses for their family and friends. If you were lucky enough to catch a fish at the lake house, your picture would end up on the Fisherman’s Wall of Fame. She enjoyed listening to smooth jazz in her kitchen and making her famous enchiladas, delicious mole and green salsa. She had such a love for sharing her way around the kitchen, her open door for friends and family during tamale season was something we all looked forward to.

There are a lifetime of sweet and funny memories to share. In particular, hiding Diana Lampson’s Christmas fudge. That fudge was gold in their home and my Grandma was quick on the draw, which left my grandpa searching for it every year.

All were welcomed into her home (neighbors, friends, family and even the mail man) with open arms, a hug, a smile and a tour of her backyard. If you were lucky, you would go home with a plant clipping from one of her many plants in her backyard! Everyone knew they had a place to stay for a few minutes, a few hours or even a few days to enjoy her hospitality and generosity.

She was the epitome of a social butterfly. She knew how to work a room and left a lasting impression on everyone in it. She had an incredible amount of love for people, talking with them, laughing with them, connecting with them and hearing their stories. She made lifelong friends wherever she went. She had magnetic energy, which people were drawn to. Our Grandma was a rare beautiful soul, who had a strong presence to her, which everyone felt.

As children, her grandkids knew they were blessed to have her so close by all the time. She was always present, part of their everyday lives in such a tangible way. From Grandparents, we learn where we come from, we learn our history and we learn who we are. What made her so special? So wonderful? That’s easy, it was HER.

She made life sparkle. She wasn’t ordinary by any means. She was as unique as they come. She helped shape who her children are, who her grandchildren are and who her great grandchildren are. Her heart was full and it overflowed onto all that knew her. We were extremely blessed to have had her in our lives. To have received all the blessings she gave to us big and small. She was truly a gift to each and every one of us and she will be missed tremendously, but today we honor and celebrate the amazing life she lived.

May you fly with the angels and watch over all of us. Give Dad / Grandpa a hug and the biggest pat on the back for us. We love you! Until we see you again.