LOUISBURG - Mrs. Rosa Suarez was born in Pitrufquen, Chile, on June 16, 1917 and died on June 6, 2012, at Louisburg Nursing Center. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on June 23 at Louisburg United Methodist Church.

Mrs. Suarez and her husband Arnaldo moved to the United States in January 1964 to be with their daughters, Lilian Gillum of Durham and Alicia Eller of Louisburg. Both Mr. and Mrs. Suarez became citizens of the United States on June 12, 1974.

Mr. and Mrs. Suarez made their home in Rocky Point, NC, near Burgaw, and later moved to Raleigh where they resided for many years.

There they attended Longview United Methodist Church where they both sang in the choir and were active members.

Shortly after the death of her husband in 1989, Mrs. Suarez moved to Louisburg to be near her daughter, Alicia. While in Louisburg, she was a faithful  member of Louisburg United Methodist Church.

Mrs. Suarez graduated in 1936 from “Instituto Sweet de Obra Social” in Santiago, Chile. She was also trained to be a special nurse for children at Sweet Memorial Medical School and she worked with pre-schoolers for many years in their hometown of Angol, Chile.

In Chile they were active members of El Vergel Methodist Church for many years. Later on, they attended Huequen Methodist Church where there was a need for music assistance. Mrs. Suarez was the pianist and organist at this church where her husband was a lay minister and also played the violin.

 Mrs. Suarez spent her last five years at Louisburg Nursing Center, where she died at the age of 95.

She is survived by 2 daughters and their families, Lilian Gillum and husband Robert, and Alicia Eller and husband Craig; 6 grandchildren, one step-granddaughter; 8 great-grandchildren; and one step-grandson.

In Chile, she is survived by 7 sisters, 1 brother, many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, great-grandnieces, and great-grandnephews.

In Australia she is survived by several cousins.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the music fund of Louisburg United Methodist Church in Louisburg, NC.

Paid Obituary