Fernando Barrera, Jr.

Fernando Barrera, Jr., age 76, passed away on January 27, 2016. Fernando was a loving husband, father and grandfather who will be greatly missed by his wife Myrna, children Fernando, Gissel, and Carlo, daughter-in-law Stephanie, and grandchildren Fernando Jr. and Alexis.

Fernando was born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1939. He grew up in the town of Puebla and at the young age of 18 traveled alone to Los Angeles, California. Fernando arrived with little more than a suitcase full of hopes and dreams. He embraced his new country and made the most of every opportunity available to him. Fernando joined the United States Navy as an enlisted man and served for 2 years in Japan. He continued to be active in the service until he retired after 37 years as a full Capitan in 1999.

Fernando valued education and set a high standard for his family, graduating from UCLA with a degree in Electrical Engineering after which he earned a master's degree in Computer Engineering from USC. Fernando worked hard throughout his life and distinguished himself while working for Southern California Edison and Union Bank where he retired as a Vice President in 2010.

Fernando's family was his life and he dedicated himself to his wife, children, and grandchildren. Fernando instilled in his children a strong work ethic and a love of life. Fernando's love of soccer was evident in his coaching of his children's teams, his position as a USSF referee at the state level for over 20 years, and his position as a CIF referee assessor up until the time of his death. Fernando also shared his knowledge and support with his grandchildren, rarely missing the opportunity to cheer them on from the sidelines or to pass on pearls of wisdom applicable both within their sports and their lives.

Fernando's life will be celebrated on Tuesday, February 16th with a mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Montclair, California at 10am followed by burial at Riverside National Cemetery with military honors at 12:15pm. Our Lady of Lourdes is located at 10191 Central Avenue, Montclair, California 91763 and Riverside National Cemetery is located at 22495 Van Buren Boulevard, Riverside, California 92518.