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Bertha Hagen

Jun 16, 1929 — Jan 20, 2025

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  • 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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