euskalkultura.eus

12/25/2017 - Sacramento, CA, USA

1926 - 2017

Margaret Louise (Soloaga) Stevenson was born in Bastille Day, 1926 and died Christmas Day, 2017.

Margaret was the child of Martina Ytuarte of Ispaster, Vizcaya, Euskal Herria (the Basque Country) and Juan Soloaga of Aulestia, Vizcaya.

Margaret was born in a boarding house her mother ran in the mining town of Mackay, Idaho. Her family later moved to the remote towns of Jarbidge, Currie, and Cherry Creek, Nevada, where they ran hotels and a bar.

Margaret spoke only Basque until she began school.

By 12, she helped her mom run the Elk Saloon in Cherry Creek and served thirsty miners cold beer. During high school, she moved to Susanville and worked a swing shift in the sawmill after school.

She attended Lassen JC and UC Berkeley after WWII and graduated from Sacramento State College.

While working for a state department in personnel, she met a handsome man who worked in the warehouse, Robert Louis Stevenson. Following a thorough review of his personnel file to see his attendance and health records, and with his promise to complete college, Margaret and Robert were married in Reno in 1950. They celebrated their 67th year of marriage last April.

Margaret enjoyed the stock market, the Tax Code, and politics.

She was a kind, intelligent person and a true homemaker and cook. She served anyone who was hungry.

For 41 years, she and Robert lived in Curtis Park, where they have dear friends.

She was predeceased by her parents, her brothers Val, Frank, and Johnny, and her sister, Mary.

She leaves her husband Robert of Davis, now 94, and her brother Mitchell Soloaga of Fairfield. Margaret also leaves her son Blake, his wife Jacqueline Isaacs, daughter Sharon, and her husband Frank Furtek. Margaret is the grandmother of Caitlin Furtek (Dan Anderson), Aaron Furtek, Olivia Stevenson, and Brett Furtek. Margaret is the great-grandmother of Wyatt Anderson and newest addition, Scout Anderson. Margaret also leaves her nieces and nephews Robert Nykodym (Carol), Dean Soloaga (Kathryn), Kathleen Soloaga (Mark), Wayne Soloaga (Sarah), Valerie Soloaga Thomas (Richard), Linda Jones (Richard), and Russell Jones (Linda), and their families. She also leaves her dear friend, Ellen Cohen. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

There will be a celebration of Margaret's life in the next few months. Please call Blake or Sharon if you would like to attend. Mil esker, maite ama!

(published in The Sacramento Bee, Legacy.com on March 4, 2018)