Nancy Severa Garibay Alvarez

The youngest of 7 children, Nancy was the baby of the family. She had 2 brothers and 4 sisters.

Her father Enrique had a business in Old Town. He passed away in 1943 and her mother Severa then had to go to work to support the family.

Nancy would tell the story of coming home from school to an empty house. She was always happy when her brother and sisters would come home from school. The family was very close.

Later the family moved to Lemon Grove where their next door neighbor was the grandmother of Gustavo Alvarez. Nancy and Gustavo were married on June 20, 1953 and they live in Lemon Grove on Olive Street until 1960 when they moved to the San Diego area.

Nancy and Gustavo have 4 children, Henry, Priscilla, Rick and Michael.

Nancy was a daughter, sister, wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend to many. She was a homemaker. She was involved with her children's schooling. For many years she was a room mother and went on many field trips. Nancy was a member of the VFW and was an Americanism Chairman who would present US flags at schools, parks and other organizations. She loved to cook. She made tamales for Christmas every year. She also had a green thumb. She grew many flowers. Some of her favorites were orchids, roses and plumeria.

Nancy has 7 grandchildren, Steven Hall, Alysia Alvarez, Chris Hall, Henry Alvarez Jr., Alexis Alvarez, Michael Alvarez Jr., and Eleanna Alvarez. She also has 7 great-grandchildren with an 8th on the way.

In 2007 she began dialysis treatments 3 times a week. Over the following years, she gained another family with the staff at her dialysis center. She would come home and talk about them and how she loved them. We also heard from her dialysis family how she would tell them all about our lives and how she loved us. Her health issues did not keep her down. She stayed always strong, tough, and determined.

We know she loved us and she knew we loved her.

Nancy is preceded in death by her mother, father, brothers Raymond and Ernie Garibay, and granddaughter Alexis. She is survived by her sisters Ruth LaMadrid, Henrietta Murillo, Lupe Alvarez and Rosie Lieras, her husband Gustavo, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.conradlemongrove.com for the Alvarez family.