Ernestina Sanchez Chavarria was 84 years old when she passed away on April 6th. She had been a resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado since 1996 and was formerly a resident of Salinas, California.
Ernestina was born on June 15, 1932 to Porfirio Diaz Sanchez and Jesucita Esparza Sanchez in Artesia, New Mexico. On August 7,1950 she married Nick Gonzalez Chavarria at the First Apostolic Church in Salinas, California. Later, when Nick became a Deacon and then Pastor of that church, Tina worked along side him to manage those responsibilities while she also worked as a surgery technician at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital. All the while she was raising seven children.
Tina loved the way playing music brought her family together. During Chavarria gatherings, she would often sit at the piano to commemorate our love for each other in song. We didn’t always hit the right note when we sang, but we always sang along! Tina’s passion for the word of God was evident in the music she played and the scripture she read daily. Like her family, she loved to nurture her plants and watch them grow.
Tina was loved for her strength of character, commitment to making a better life for her children and the joy she had in seeing them thrive. She was a gracious host, a loving friend and was committed to always helping those in need. She exemplified to those around her those qualities to which we all aspire: the ability to have faith in things not seen, the hope that all things will lead to happiness and the charity to share with others those blessings given to her through hard work, dedication to family and the resolve to move on from suffering and focus on the light.
Tina is survived by 6 of her children: Irene, Carol, Debra, Rebecca, Nick Jr. and Christine; her siblings: Nancy, Froilan, Larry and Raul; 15 of her grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Tina was preceded in death by her husband, Nick Sr.; her son, Arthur; her granddaughter, Delilah; as well as her siblings, Lupe and Manuel.
A visitation and memorial service will be held from 6pm to 8pm on Thursday, April 13th at the Shrine of Remembrance, 1730 East Fountain Blvd. in Colorado Springs. The following morning, Friday, April 14th at 10am, there will be a short funeral service at the Shrine of Remembrance “America the Beautiful” Chapel followed by interment at the Memorial Gardens Cemetery at 3825 Airport Rd., Colorado Springs.
Our mother loved flowers. Please send any flower arrangements to the Shrine of Remembrance Chapel.
Goodbye Mom, we are all better from knowing you.