Matilde Gonzalez Monarrez was born February 24, 1930 in Topeka, Kansas to Saturnina (Gutierrez) And Rafael Gonzalez. She married Salvador Monarrez August 2, 1953 and they celebrated 57 years of marriage this year. Matilde and Salvador worked as migrant farm laborers in New Mexico and Texas before settling in Lamont. Matilde's family loved her cooking and baking, persimmon cookies and carrot cake being favorites, which she generously shared with neighbors. Matilde also liked to sew and make crafts in her spare time. She loved rock and roll music and Elvis Pressley was her favorite. She attended the Arvin Seventh Day Adventist Church until her health began to fail. She was active in the charity clubs at church and the Homeless Shelter in Bakersfield. Her son, Rafael Sanchez, preceded her in death. Matilde is survived by her husband Salvador Monarrez of Lamont; sons, Raymond Sanchez of Holtville, Jose Sanchez and wife Herminia of Casa Grande, Arizona, Salvador Monarrez, Jr. of Lamont and Francisco Monarrez and wife Kathy of Bakersfield; daughters, Margarita and husband Pedro Chavez of Sacramento, Mirna Gonzalez of Sacramento and Dorothy Monarrez of Bakersfield; brother, Santiago Gonzalez of Albuquerque, New Mexico; sisters, Francisca Guerrero of El Paso, Texas and Guadalupe and husband Chano Escarciga of Anapra, New Mexico; 40 grandchildren and 90 great-grandchildren. A funeral service will be held Monday, November 30, 2009 at 10am at the Arvin Seventh Day Adventist Church for Matilda G. Monarrez, age, 79, of Lamont who passed away November 22, in Arvin. Visitation will be held Sunday, November 29, 2009 at Arvin Funeral Home from 2pm – 8pm. Serving as casket bearers will be her sons and grandsons, Francisco Monarrez, Salvador Monarrez, Jr., Raymond Sanchez, Jose Sanchez, Steven Villasenor and Salvador Monarrez, III.