Obituary for Anna Maria Maguire
Our mom, Anna Maria Maguire, gained her angel wings Sunday, March 26, 2023, at age 93.
Anna was born Aug. 15, 1929, at San Jose el Vidrio, Mexico, to Juan Fuentes Vargas and Issabelle Blancas Vega.
At the age of 19, Anna moved to Washington, D.C., as the nanny to the Ambassador of Mexico. Being in the United States for the first time, she was able to experience a lot of firsts. She enjoyed sharing those memories later in her life with her children and grandchildren. While in Washington, D.C., she met Fernando C. Aguilar Sr., U.S. Army paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, stationed in Washington, D.C. They were married Dec. 12, 1950.
The couple moved to Sunnyside, Wash., and after short stays throughout the Western states, settled in Clarkston in 1956. They were blessed with seven children, two boys and five girls, who were the light of their lives. Fernando and Maria later divorced, leaving Maria to raise the seven children alone.
Family was the cornerstone of Mom’s life. Despite not having English as her primary language, her thrift, hard work and devotion to her family, and her faith, she was able to keep her children well-fed, clothed and educated. The children attended Holy Family Parochial School, where Mom worked as a cook for many years. Mom was also the mother to the neighborhood children, who would eat her homemade tortillas and her wonderful baked goods. She made the best cinnamon rolls and sugar twists in town. She was well-liked, and the community of Clarkston responded with kindness, enabling her to purchase her first home when single women were seldom able to obtain loans.
In June 1973, Mom married the love of her life, John Maguire, in Clarkston. They had 20 years of a wonderful life together before he passed away in 1993. Mom and John had so much fun together, camping, fishing, traveling and attending insurance conventions. Following John’s death, Mom was well-cared for, primarily by her daughter Marie Eggart and her husband, Bill. They eventually moved from Clarkston to Ajo, Ariz., and then to Spokane, following the death of Bill Eggart.
Throughout her life, Mom held various jobs: nanny, cook for Tri-State Convalescent and Holy Family School, housekeeper and field laborer. After her retirement, she enjoyed being the cook for several different local priests. Mom was very much a prankster, making funny fish lips with her grandchildren and playing cards (while cheating), and she was always dressed to the nines. Mom had a green thumb, and her gardens over the years were beautiful. Even when she no longer had large gardens, her plants were always very important to her and they were always well-tended. During her stay in Ajo, Mom became quite taken with the desert and would enjoy her days in the sun and her evenings in the cool of the night. The community of Ajo loved her dearly and always showered her with love and kindness.
Anna Maria was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Fernando C. Aguilar Sr. and John Maguire; daughters Linda Aguilar and Alma Aguilar; stepdaughter Annie Daniel; and son-in-laws William Eggart, Lynn Acheson and Randy Shepherd.
She is survived by her children Marie Eggart, Fernando Aguilar Jr., Alvie Beitlich (Larry), Ernie Aguilar (Kathy) and Angie Aguilar; stepson John Maguire (Jan); sons-in-law Alfredo Gutierrez and Willie Daniel; former in-laws who blessed her with grandchildren, James Kane and Wanida Limsilla.
Her love of her first husband’s family gave her lifelong parents and siblings, and she is survived by Felix Aguilar, Albert Carranza, Josephine Rodriguez, Arthur Carranza, Mary Gamboa and Virginia Molina. She was preceded in death by in-laws Albert and Josephine Carranza, Lupe Aguilar, Juan Aguilar, Minerva Alvarado, Henry Carranza and Simon Carranza.
She is survived by grandchildren Billy (Tina) Eggart, Robert (Tara) Eggart, Robert (Jessica) Aguilar, Diana (Eric) Jones, Nathan (Korrie) Acheson, Clayton (Monica) Acheson, Amanda Thompson, Ben (Krystle) Aguilar, Brett Aguilar, Robert (Sarah) Shepherd, Jesse (Phyllis) Kane, Kristal (Joe) Coghill, Joshua (Olga) Sorce, Carolann Daniel Eichholz, Jeremy (Lisa Ann) Maguire and Janell (Patrick) Teichmer; great-grandchildren Kyler, Branden, Lexi (Justin), Maddy, Johnathon, Alexander, William, Sophia, Clara, Adalyn, Kyler, Kadin, Natalie, Adri, Gunner, Jacob (Savanna), Levi, Eliza, Ella, Parker, Theodore, Adeline, Claire, Scott, Morgan (James), Dalin, Blake (Alyssa), Lindsey, Zachary, Dillon, Cadence, Johnathan, Riley, Kendall and Caitlin (Conner); great-great-grandchildren Roen Rush, Jason, Lily, Salina, Jason, Tegan Rose, Oaklynn Grace, Gracie and Dean; her niece Juanita Woods (Jim); and numerous nieces and nephews, who she loved dearly.
Services will be held April 14, 2023, at 10 a.m., with a viewing and rosary followed by funeral Mass at 11 a.m. at All Saints Catholic Church, Lewiston. Burial will follow at Vineland Cemetery, Clarkston. A celebration of life luncheon will be at 12:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Clarkston, in the Sternwheel Ballroom.
Memorial donations may be made to Holy Family School, 1002 Chestnut St., Clarkston, WA 99403. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Merchant Funeral Home.
Anna was born Aug. 15, 1929, at San Jose el Vidrio, Mexico, to Juan Fuentes Vargas and Issabelle Blancas Vega.
At the age of 19, Anna moved to Washington, D.C., as the nanny to the Ambassador of Mexico. Being in the United States for the first time, she was able to experience a lot of firsts. She enjoyed sharing those memories later in her life with her children and grandchildren. While in Washington, D.C., she met Fernando C. Aguilar Sr., U.S. Army paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, stationed in Washington, D.C. They were married Dec. 12, 1950.
The couple moved to Sunnyside, Wash., and after short stays throughout the Western states, settled in Clarkston in 1956. They were blessed with seven children, two boys and five girls, who were the light of their lives. Fernando and Maria later divorced, leaving Maria to raise the seven children alone.
Family was the cornerstone of Mom’s life. Despite not having English as her primary language, her thrift, hard work and devotion to her family, and her faith, she was able to keep her children well-fed, clothed and educated. The children attended Holy Family Parochial School, where Mom worked as a cook for many years. Mom was also the mother to the neighborhood children, who would eat her homemade tortillas and her wonderful baked goods. She made the best cinnamon rolls and sugar twists in town. She was well-liked, and the community of Clarkston responded with kindness, enabling her to purchase her first home when single women were seldom able to obtain loans.
In June 1973, Mom married the love of her life, John Maguire, in Clarkston. They had 20 years of a wonderful life together before he passed away in 1993. Mom and John had so much fun together, camping, fishing, traveling and attending insurance conventions. Following John’s death, Mom was well-cared for, primarily by her daughter Marie Eggart and her husband, Bill. They eventually moved from Clarkston to Ajo, Ariz., and then to Spokane, following the death of Bill Eggart.
Throughout her life, Mom held various jobs: nanny, cook for Tri-State Convalescent and Holy Family School, housekeeper and field laborer. After her retirement, she enjoyed being the cook for several different local priests. Mom was very much a prankster, making funny fish lips with her grandchildren and playing cards (while cheating), and she was always dressed to the nines. Mom had a green thumb, and her gardens over the years were beautiful. Even when she no longer had large gardens, her plants were always very important to her and they were always well-tended. During her stay in Ajo, Mom became quite taken with the desert and would enjoy her days in the sun and her evenings in the cool of the night. The community of Ajo loved her dearly and always showered her with love and kindness.
Anna Maria was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Fernando C. Aguilar Sr. and John Maguire; daughters Linda Aguilar and Alma Aguilar; stepdaughter Annie Daniel; and son-in-laws William Eggart, Lynn Acheson and Randy Shepherd.
She is survived by her children Marie Eggart, Fernando Aguilar Jr., Alvie Beitlich (Larry), Ernie Aguilar (Kathy) and Angie Aguilar; stepson John Maguire (Jan); sons-in-law Alfredo Gutierrez and Willie Daniel; former in-laws who blessed her with grandchildren, James Kane and Wanida Limsilla.
Her love of her first husband’s family gave her lifelong parents and siblings, and she is survived by Felix Aguilar, Albert Carranza, Josephine Rodriguez, Arthur Carranza, Mary Gamboa and Virginia Molina. She was preceded in death by in-laws Albert and Josephine Carranza, Lupe Aguilar, Juan Aguilar, Minerva Alvarado, Henry Carranza and Simon Carranza.
She is survived by grandchildren Billy (Tina) Eggart, Robert (Tara) Eggart, Robert (Jessica) Aguilar, Diana (Eric) Jones, Nathan (Korrie) Acheson, Clayton (Monica) Acheson, Amanda Thompson, Ben (Krystle) Aguilar, Brett Aguilar, Robert (Sarah) Shepherd, Jesse (Phyllis) Kane, Kristal (Joe) Coghill, Joshua (Olga) Sorce, Carolann Daniel Eichholz, Jeremy (Lisa Ann) Maguire and Janell (Patrick) Teichmer; great-grandchildren Kyler, Branden, Lexi (Justin), Maddy, Johnathon, Alexander, William, Sophia, Clara, Adalyn, Kyler, Kadin, Natalie, Adri, Gunner, Jacob (Savanna), Levi, Eliza, Ella, Parker, Theodore, Adeline, Claire, Scott, Morgan (James), Dalin, Blake (Alyssa), Lindsey, Zachary, Dillon, Cadence, Johnathan, Riley, Kendall and Caitlin (Conner); great-great-grandchildren Roen Rush, Jason, Lily, Salina, Jason, Tegan Rose, Oaklynn Grace, Gracie and Dean; her niece Juanita Woods (Jim); and numerous nieces and nephews, who she loved dearly.
Services will be held April 14, 2023, at 10 a.m., with a viewing and rosary followed by funeral Mass at 11 a.m. at All Saints Catholic Church, Lewiston. Burial will follow at Vineland Cemetery, Clarkston. A celebration of life luncheon will be at 12:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Clarkston, in the Sternwheel Ballroom.
Memorial donations may be made to Holy Family School, 1002 Chestnut St., Clarkston, WA 99403. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Merchant Funeral Home.