Barbara Jean Files was born on May 21, 1936, in Vista, California. The first of two daughters to Joe and Helen Files. She graduated from Vista High in 1954. After graduation she attended SDSU and then moved to Los Angeles to attend trade school. There she met a handsome, dashing, immigrant from Spain, John Bertran.
After a short courtship, they were married in 1956 at St. John of the Cross in Lemon Grove.
Barbara and John had similar desires for a large family and living the American dream.
In the early ’60s they moved to a little known town on the outskirts of San Diego called Poway, population 1,921. Buying a small house on an acre of land on Community Road, they raised their family of six children and numerous pets and animals.
They joined St Michael’s Parish in Poway as one of its founding members, and they later moved to St Gabriel.
In 1974 Barbara and John continued living their American dream by opening a small business: Four Seasons Plant Shop on Pomerado Road.
After a couple of years, she and her daughter, Elena, began attending classes in floral merchandising; and so began her foray into the world of the retail florist. The plant shop bloomed into Four Season Flowers, still operating in Rancho Penasquitos and owned by her daughter, Carma. Over the years “the shop” provided employment for her kids and many grandkids, which made Four Seasons truly a family business.
Barbara was nicknamed “Manna” by her first grandchild and from then on, she was known as “Manna” to each member of the growing family and many friends.
Barbara was a wonderful cook. Friends and visitors were treated to her famous tacos, salsa, and water beans as a welcome to the Bertran home.
Barbara was very involved in parish life over the years, participating in St Vincent de Paul, the Women’s Ministry, and serving as a Eucharistic Minister.
She was involved, as well, in the business community with the Poway Chamber of Commerce, Le Tip, and The San Diego Retail Floral Association. She also volunteered for the Garden of Innocence and was a Soroptimist. In 1999 she was named Poway Woman of the Year.
Barbara was the number 1 Padres fan! For many years she had season tickets with her friends known to the family as the “Madres.” She also loved to travel and play cards and did much of both with her family and friends.
Barbara had an incredible excitement for life, and a great sense of humor. She was known by her kids and grandchildren as an extremely fun mom and grandma. She was always up for a good time and never wanted to miss out on any gatherings or events, earning her the endearing title of “FOMO Queen.” She had a full life and will be greatly missed by many.
In Barbara’s final hours, she was surrounded by many loving family members at Bayshire Senior Living in Carlsbad.
She was preceded in death by her beloved son Johnny, parents Helen and Joe, husband John, and her grandson Joshua.
She is survived by her children Elena Bertran, Angela (Alan) Bertran-Harris, Richard (Debbie) Bertran, Carma (David) White, and Linda (John) Hayek, her sister Sharon Folda, 14 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. Please keep our beloved Manna in your prayers.
We all know Barbara loved flowers, but if you would like to honor her legacy, please donate to her grandson Joshua Hayek’s Memorial Scholarship fund through the Santa Margarita High School Eagle Foundation.
www.smeaglefoundation.org/scholarship-opportunities/jhscholarship
Author: gqlshare
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/obituaries/barbara-jean-bertran-poway-ca/