Maria De Lourdes Cerqueira Boggs

Maria de Lourdes Cerqueira Boggs died at age 85 on Monday, October 15, 2012 at the Sunny Rose Glen Senior Care Center in Menifee, California where she had been a resident since April 2012. She finally succumbed from a long decline due to Alzheimers and stroke.
Lourdes, as she was known to family, was born October 4, 1927 in Natal, Brazil, the 8th of 9 children born to Vulpiano Cerqueira Rocha and Niovesta Cerqueira Rocha. Lourdes was raised on the family plantation until at age 18, while during WWII, a US Army soldier stationed nearby stole her heart. Robert (Bob) Boggs from Los Angeles married Lourdes on May 17, 1946 at the Rocha family residence. Bob and Lourdes made their home in both Recife and Rio, Brazil where their three daughters were born, Ceres, Celia and Elizabeth.
In 1953 Bob decided to transfer back to the states and left his family to obtain employment in Kansas. Several months later, Lourdes, at age 25 and her three young daughters made the journey by boat and plane to the USA for the first time, not speaking the language nor knowing the currency.
The family moved to Los Angeles to be near Bob's parents. Their son Robert was born five years later. Lourdes then decided to gain employment. Her first job was piece work for a clothing factory. She then worked at a bakery making delicious cakes and pies. Next was factory work where she was known for working harder than most of the men. Meanwhile, Bob worked for local trucking companies. In the late sixties, he decided to become his own boss and purchased a truck for long distance hauling. In the late seventies, Lourdes began to drive with him and would be gone days at a time. Once again the hard work and flirty smiles of a 5 ft female truck driver was noticed by many.
Bob and Lourdes had a love for life. They enjoyed spending time with family and friends. Each summer while the children were growing up they would pack up the pick up truck, haul a boat and head for the Colorado River where they camped for an entire month at a time. Lourdes was well known for feeding flocks of children day after day something she has always enjoyed. Camping with the extended family in years that followed created many happy memories.
Life would end too soon for her husband who died in 1985 at age 60. From 1987 to 2003, Lourdes was married to Nedam Duncan, living in Temecula. She later moved to Palm Desert for several years with companion Sherman Winston. Maria, Lordy, Lourdes or Vovo as she was called by many, loved her family and children. Holidays and family gatherings were important to her and every new baby in the family was greeted with an outpouring of affection. She loved dancing, music and lots of laughter. She spread her smiles and love to many. Just ask the friends of family or even strangers as she gave them big hugs and kisses too.
Lourdes was preceded in death by her husband Bob and her daughter Celia Johnson who tragically passed in 2006. She is survived by her sister Carmen Boyne, her daughter Ceres Spilman and husband Bob, daughter Elizabeth (Betty and Ron) Crone, son Robert Boggs and wife Barbara, son-in-law Fred Johnson, 7 grand children and 14 (soon to be 15) great grand children. She will be laid to rest next to her husband Bob on October 23, 2012 at Forest Lawn, Covina, CA