Erma Amelia Buoni

Erma Amelia Buoni was born on April 24, 1938 in Bakersfield, CA to parents Amelia and Adolpho Centoni. Her mother passed away shortly after childbirth. Her father returned to Italy and married Daria who would raise Erma from the age of two until Daria’s passing. She was the youngest of five siblings: Vance, John, Bruna, and Eva. Erma attended St. Francis Catholic School and later attended Kern County High School, now BHS. Growing up, her father worked for the railroad and owned Centoni Nursery, which she and her mother ran until her older brothers returned from the war. This fostered a love for gardening and flowers that she passed onto her children and grandchildren. While in high school, Erma was a candy striper at Mercy Hospital.

 

Erma met her husband, Mario Buoni Jr., at a Sheepmen’s Picnic. Mario describes it as love at first sight. When Erma later became engaged to Mario, her father told her she was marrying a farmer and would never travel anywhere. So, the summer before her wedding, Erma and her dad took a trip all around the country by way of the Santa Fe Railway. She always cherished the time she had with her father on that trip. Erma and Mario married on June 9, 1956, one day after her high school graduation. Erma was a devout Catholic and attended Mass daily with her mother until she was married, when she could no longer attend because they lived too far out of town and did not own a vehicle. After nine years of marriage they bought their first automobile. Since they finally had a vehicle, Erma would be able to attend mass again; however, she did not know how to drive, so Mario had to take her everywhere until she learned.

 

For 65 years, Erma stood by Mario’s side; a dedicated wife and mother. Being a wife to a farmer was not an easy life, but she accepted the challenge with grace and fortitude. Erma gave birth to six children, Mariana, Patricia, Mario, Frank, John, and Gino. Erma loved the county fair and enjoyed helping her children with their show animals. Erma was a room mother for each of her children, and you could always find her in the stands of any sporting event or at the fair with her camera and telephoto lens cheering on her children and grandchildren.