Maria M. Shaw Lopez

Maria Mercedes Shaw Lopez peacefully went to heaven on August 23, 2012 at home surrounded by her loving family after a 2 year battle with colon cancer. She is preceded in death by her brother Edmundo Taussig. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Luis Alberto Lopez, and her five children: Carmen Ness and her husband Joseph Ness, Magda Karmondy and her husband Robert Karmondy, Martha Idava and her husband Victor Idava, Carlos Lopez and his wife Danielle Lopez, and Aida Lopez, as well as her 5 grandchildren: Amarisa Idava, Cerise Karmondy, Christina Idava, Felicia Idava, and Stephen Karmondy. She is also survived by her brother Jorge Taussig, his wife Elisabeth Taussig, and their daughters Irene Wulff and Barbara Schiebel. Maria was born in Bogota, Colombia on October 11, 1934. In her youth she was an established athlete in the areas of track and field, cycling, swimming, and basketball. She was married in 1954 and soon had her first 4 children. In 1961 the Lopez family relocated to the United States. The family lived in New York where her youngest daughter was born. In 1978 Maria and Luis moved to Richmond, Virginia. She worked for Little Sisters of the Poor for 32 years in housekeeping. She loved spending time with her family, cooking, walking, gardening, traveling to exotic locations, watching old films, caring for animals, and shopping with her children and grandchildren. Maria was loved by everyone she touched and will be greatly missed.

The family will receive friends at Woody Funeral Home, 1771 N. Parham Rd. Richmond, VA 23229 on Sunday, August 26, 2012 from 2:00 - 4:00PM. There will be a funeral service on Monday at 10:00AM at the funeral home with interment following at Westhampton Memorial Park.

Our angel has peacefully made her journey to heaven. We will always love you as you have always loved us. Please take care of us from above as you did on earth.

In Lieu of Flowers donations may be left to:

Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 800-942-0149 ext. 2213 - Karen McClure.

Best Friends Animal Society, 435-644-2001 ext. 4811 - Sheila Johnson - www.bestfriends.org

Defenders of Wildlife, 800-385-9712, Patty or Emily