Beloved grandmother, longtime CUSD employee

Margarita Cecilia Roby died peacefully Friday, June 9 surrounded by her family at her home in Claremont. She was 80 years old.

Born in San Jose, Costa Rica, to Frank Scott and Luisa Rivas, Margarita was raised on banana plantations as her father was a superintendent of several plantations in Costa Rica. In the early 1960s he established his own plantation near the Pacific Port of Golfito, located in the southwest corner of Costa Rica.

After graduating from high school she and her parents traveled via banana boat to Los Angeles so that she could attend Santa Monica Community College. She graduated with an associate degree in business and was soon offered a job with Bank of America’s San Fernando branch, where she worked for many years.

In 1965 she met George (G.A.) Roby, a forest ranger with the U.S. Forest Service. They were married in 1967 at the Little Brown Church in San Fernando Valley. The couple lived in several locations throughout the United States and had two daughters before landing in Claremont in 1987 and deciding to make it their forever home.

After settling in she went to work for Claremont Unified School District, where she held multiple positions over the years, primarily in the student services department. Known by her colleagues for her dedication and camaraderie throughout her two decades with CUSD, she retired on July 1, 2009.

“Above all, Margarita deeply loved and was devoted to her family and their time together, enjoying the little moments and celebrating the big ones,” her family shared. “She adored her pets and possessed a lively fondness for the ocean, traveling, hiking and exercise, and gardening. Margarita was exceedingly kind and generous and took every opportunity to help others.”

“A wonderful wife and companion, mother, grandmother, and friend,” she is survived by her husband, George; their daughters, Tammy Roby-Martinez and son-in-law Eric Martinez, and Gina Roby-Unkovich and son-in-law Randy Unkovich; grandchildren Casi Martinez, Tyler Martinez, George Roby-Unkovich, William Roby-Unkovich, and Aaron Unkovich; and sisters Luisa Scott Rivas and Martha Scott.

A private celebration of life will take place at a later date.