Bertha Hagen
June 16, 1929 — January 20, 2025
- Bertha Arriola Hagen, 95, of Los Angeles, California, passed away on January 20, 2025. She was
- born June 16, 1929 in Bisbee, Arizona to the late Epitacio and Dolores Arriola.
- Bertha grew up in Superior, Arizona with her parents and her five siblings. In approximately
- 1944, Bertha relocated to Los Angeles, California with her parents and siblings. However, in the
- late 1940s her parents moved back to Arizona along with most of her siblings. Bertha and
- Socorro stayed behind.
- In the late 1940s, Bertha became reacquainted with Gilbert Manuel Fragosa, Sr. when her sister
- Socorro happened upon him at a local bus stop in Los Angeles. They had first met in the early
- 1940s while he was traveling from Zacatecas, Mexico through Arizona to Los Angeles,
- California. When asked about their meeting, Bertha recalled that early in their courtship she
- had met up with Gilbert at an outdoor concert in Lincoln Heights at Lincoln Park because they
- both enjoyed dancing.
- In 1950, Bertha married Gilbert and later that year they had their first son Gilbert Manuel, Jr. It
- was during this time that Gilbert Sr. joined the U.S. Army and served in the Korean War.
- However, due to family hardship Gilbert Sr. was discharged early. In 1952, when Gilbert and
- Bertha were living on the Avenues, they welcomed their second son Mario. Six months later
- the family moved to City Terrace Heights in East Los Angeles and in 1954 their third son
- Stephen Ruben was born.
- After her first marriage ended in divorce, Bertha went on to marry Kent Hagen in 1967. They
- had three daughters Lisa (1967), Beth (1968), and Corina (1970).
- Bertha will be remembered as fiercely independent. During her first marriage, Bertha worked
- in the garment district of Downtown Los Angeles as a seamstress. Because she did not drive,
- she traveled to and from work by walking and using the local bus transit, a practice that she
- would continue for the rest of her life. She will also be remembered as intensely loyal to her
- family, especially to her sister Socorro Vasquez and Socorro’s children, which she displayed with
- her little acts of kindness throughout her life. In addition, she will be remembered for her
- unfailing generosity. Even when she had so little herself, she still made small monthly
- donations to a variety of charities.
- Bertha was preceded in death by her siblings Alfonso Arriola, Frank Arriola, Socorro Arriola, and
- Mike Arriola; and her niece Teresa Saldana.
- Bertha is survived by her six children, Gilbert Manuel Fragosa, Jr., Mario Fragosa, Stephen
- Ruben Fragosa, Beth Woelfel, Lisa Lakin, and Corina Hagen; her grandchildren Stephanie Fisher,
- Irene Perez, Alexis Fragosa, Alyse Fragosa, Adam Fragosa, Travis Woelfel, Haley Lakin, Chanel
- Lakin, Tiffany Vargas and Ronni Vargas; several great grandchildren; her sister Teresa Villalobos;
- cousin Sally Loya; her nieces and nephew, Elva Carrillo, Corinne Tanon Freeman, Chata Ramirez,
- John Vasquez, and Celia Muro. She also leaves many other family members in Los Angeles,
- California and Superior, Arizona who will sadly miss her.
- Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at Saints Peter and Paul
- Catholic Church in Wilmington. Burial to follow at the Historic Wilmington Cemetery in
- Wilmington.
- Visitation is from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
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