Luisa Defilia Irvin's Obituary
Luisa Deifilia Cárdenas Huaco was born on June 21, 1939 in Machahuay, a small district in the mountainous province of Castilla which is located in the Arequipa Region of southern Perú. She was the third child to Severo Alfonso Cárdenas Huaco and MarÃa Esther Huaco Meza. She was born into a humble home where her father made a living raising livestock and farming. As a young child, Luisa attended schools in both Machahuay and in nearby Viraco. She went to high school at the Colegio San Pedro Pascual in the city of Arequipa, Perú. Luisa lost her mother at the age of 14. She moved to Oakland, California in search of a new life in the United States when she was 25. Luisa became a citizen of the US on February 27, 1996.
In Oakland, Luisa worked at various jobs. She was a live-in nanny for the Anderson and Zuber families and helped clean rooms at Herrick Hospital (now Alta Bates). She also worked as a housekeeper at Claremont Country Club for over 20 years.
Luisa met Walter J. Irvin through mutual friends in June of 1971. They married on September 18th of that same year. The following year she gave birth to her only child, Maria Elizabeth Irvin (Rincón).
Because of her roots in the Andes, Luisa always loved the outdoors. She especially enjoyed going to the beach or up to the mountains. Luisa also loved gardening, camping, sewing, quilting, baking and watching Notre Dame football. She was a loyal friend and an extraordinarily loving, generous and caring mom and Abui (grandmother).
Luisa passed away in Oakland on November 27th. She is survived by her only daughter Maria Elizabeth Rincón and son-in law Jaime Alberto Rincón, both of Oakland. During her last years of life, she enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her two grandchildren Diego Alfonso Rincón and Gabriela Araceli Rincón.
Luisa is survived by her siblings Luz MarÃa Cárdenas de Vizcardo, Luis Alberto Cárdenas Huaco and Amparo (La Gata), Horacio, Alfonso and Alfredo as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by both of her parents as well as her siblings Rosa Estela Cárdenas de Farfán, Grimaneza Cárdenas de Terrazas and Rodolfo Cárdenas Huaco.
Luisa’s memorial service will be at 11:00 AM on December 11, 2016 at the Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland, California.
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