Mary Tapia Imperial

Mary Tapia Imperial was born on April 23, 1933 in San Fernando, CA. to the parents of Leondro Tapia and Rosie Garcia Tapia. She was the eldest of three children, with two younger brothers, Gilbert Tapia and Joseph Tapia.

Raised as a California native, Mary went to school in the city of San Fernando where she later planted the strong roots of her family. At the age of 15 years old, she married her love, Gabriel Real Imperial. The lovely couple later celebrated the births of their four beautiful children, Gabriel Tapia Imperial, Rose Susan Imperial, John Nicholas Imperial and Phyllis Marie Imperial.

Mary lived her life always caring for others and always willing to help. She was such a nurturing person she chose the profession of Nursing for 32 years. After retirement, Mary continued to do what she loved most, which was to care for others and she was able to do so by raising her 16 grandchildren and three of her of her 32 great-grandchildren (Anthony, Eddie Jr. & Kenneth Jr.). Her strong beliefs and values of family have all been instilled in each and every one of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren that her legacy will continue to live on through them all.

Mary was always a strong willed and a resilient woman who never let any obstacle get in her way. Even when she fell ill in 2010 and continued to struggle with health issues, she continued to fight when many others would have simply given up. Mary refused to let her ailing health prevent her from living her life to the fullest and always greeted every single one of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren with a smile. She never liked the attention or fuss over her health and was always more concerned with the health and care of her loved ones. Whenever asked how she was doing she would always answer “I’m ok” regardless of how she was really feeling, even when she was in the hospital.

They say that what you give out to the world you will receive in ten-fold, well that was definitely proven true for Mary. Until her last days she was loved by so many. She was surrounded by her children, grandchildren, her grandchildren’s spouses, some of her great-grandchildren and was able to hear the never ending words of love from her 99 year old mother via telephone before taking her last breath.

Mary Tapia Imperial was brought into this world with love, she gave so much love to others, and she left this world to be reunited with her love Gabriel Real Imperial and with our heavenly father Jesus through love and faith. She is survived by her mother Rosie Garcia Tapia, her two brothers: Gilbert Tapia & Joseph Tapia; her four children: Gabriel T. Imperial, Rose S. Imperial, John N. Imperial, & Phyllis M. Imperial; her 16 grandchildren: Jennifer, Anita, Katherine, Marie, David, Michele, Kenneth, John, Richard, Monique, Phillip, Milissa, John Jr., Carina, Mary & Gabriel; her 32 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.