Olga Figueroa Roberto

Olga, also known as Mom, Mamita, Cony, and Olguita, was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala to Arturo Figueroa Coronado and Dolores DeLeon Pietrasanta. Olga had three younger brothers, Arturo, Adolfo, and Rolando.

Olga spent her early years in Guatemala. When she was about 20 years old, she immigrated to the United States. After first stopping in Richmond, California, she moved to Boise, Idaho, where she taught Spanish and took courses at the local community college. She eventually transferred to the University of Idaho, Moscow, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Language. At the University of Idaho, she met Frank. Olga and Frank dated for two years and were married on June 8, 1957, the day before their graduation.

Olga and Frank had five sons, Francisco (Franco), Ricardo (Ric), Eduardo, David (Dave), and Rolando. Between the late 1950s and the mid-1960s, Olga and Frank lived in Clarkston, Washington, Edwards Air Force Base in California, and Knoxville, Tennessee. In 1965, they returned to and settled in Lancaster, California.

Olga spent her career as a teacher, including volunteering as a teacher at a grammar school while in Knoxville, teaching kindergarten for one year at Wilsona Elementary School in Palmdale and later teaching Spanish at Paraclete High School in Lancaster from 1974 through 1991. During her retirement, she volunteered several times a week at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Lancaster and Saint Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo.

Olga was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She and Frank were the loves of each other’s lives, and celebrated 65 years of marriage in June 2022. Mamita was the center of her family, a beautiful and incredible matriarch that led by example as a wife, mother, and woman of faith. She was involved, present and engaged, always interested in and concerned with everyone’s well-being. She was happiest when surrounded by family and always expressed excitement and appreciation when she had visitors.

She loved reading, gardening, keeping her house clean, and cooking and baking for her family. Some of her signature dishes were arroz con pollo, banana bread, and any kind of pie or crisp. She loved breads, desserts and chocolate. She also loved shopping, dancing, and traveling, especially her yearly month-long trips to see her family in Guatemala. She enjoyed watching shows and movies on PBS and Hallmark, and any romantic comedy. She spoke Spanish, English and French.

Olga was a devout Catholic. In 2011, she became an Oblate of Saint Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo. An Oblate of Saint Andrew’s Abbey is someone living in society who through their “oblation”, or gift of themselves to God, becomes an extended part of the Saint Andrew’s monastic community.

Olga was predeceased by her parents and her brothers Arturo and Adolfo. Olga is survived by her husband, Frank, her sons, Franco (Megan), Ric (Cindy), Eduardo (Missy), Dave (Jody) and Rolando (Lori), her grandchildren, Brandon (Lorena), Victor (Haley), Brittany, Corinne, Bryce (Jeannie), Anneliese (John), Miles, Maya, Mireya, Luke, Diego, and Juliet, her great-grandchildren, Fitz and Malia, her youngest brother, Rolando, as well as much-loved sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

A private funeral will be held at Saint Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, where her remains will be interred among the oblates. In lieu of flowers, the Roberto family requests that donations be made to any organization that focuses on feeding the poor or feeding children. Some of Olga’s favorite organizations included Food for the Poor, Feed the Children, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, and Doctors without Borders.

Mamita was blessed to live a long, beautiful and full life. We are grateful for all the memories we shared with her, the valuable lessons she taught us, and the values she instilled in us. We will carry her with us always. Rest in peace, Mamita.