Lena Barbera Bottone was born to Italian immigrant parents in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 22, 1926, the second youngest of ten children. Lena passed away on September 27, 2022 in Thousand Oaks, California. She met a handsome young Italian man by the name of Michael Bottone. They shared a love of dancing and roller skating. They soon married and had two children, Michael Jr. and Diane. In 1953 they packed up and moved to Southern California to pursue job opportunities. A few years later Renee and Annette completed the family. While Michael worked Lena did what she could to help make ends meet for the growing family. Lena waitressed at Donofrio’s Italian Restaurant and worked in a sewing factory that contracted with JC Penney’s. As children we often saw her LBB initials on the size tags when we shopped. When Michael Jr. was drafted into the Army, Lena decided she could not just sit at home waiting for his letters to arrive, so she applied for a job as a meat wrapper. She spent many years as a meat wrapper for Safeway Markets, retiring when her husband retired in the late 1980’s.
Other than Lena’s husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, her three loves were the LA Dodgers, Snoopy, and Elvis! She has always had a love of music and dancing and loved tinkering in her garden. She always took pride in decorating her home for the holidays and anyone who came to visit truly felt the joy. Her smile and laugh lit up any room she was in. Her door was always open and she always had a tray of cookies, sweets and a hot cup of coffee for anyone who stopped by. She was loved by many and will be missed by all.
Lena and Michael were married for 61 years.
Son Michael Bottone Jr (deceased) and Daughter-In-Law Lucia, Grandson Michael III, Great grandson Favian
Daughter Diane McCall, Son-In-Law Lon (deceased) Grandson Matthew and wife Amy, Great grandson Owen
Daughter Renee Norwood, Son-In-Law Todd, grandchildren Jarrod and wife Shawna, Adam and wife Kasey, Dustin, Bethany, Brooke, Great Grandchildren, Lily, Elizabeth, Desiray, Aria, Malia, Beckett and Willow
Daughter Annette Joyce, Son-In-Law Joe, Grandchildren Timothy, Kathryn, Melissa (deceased)
A visitation for Lena will be held Thursday, October 13, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM at Bastian and Perrott, Oswald Mortuary, 18728 Parthenia Street, Northridge, CA 91324. Following the visitation will be a Graveside Service at 2:00 PM at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park, 5600 Lindero Canyon Road, Westlake Village, CA 91362.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.BastianandPerrott-OswaldMortuary.com for the Bottone family.
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