Elizabeth, whom family and friends called Liz, was born to Buenaventura (Benny) and Elizabeth (Martinez) Zapata on April 3, 1937. Her dad was joint owner of a Puerto Rican restaurant in the Bronx, New York, along with his brother Frank. Her mom was a homemaker.
Liz graduated from Walton High School in New York in the late ‘50s and continued her education at Bronx Community College. Her first job was as an administrative assistant with Richardson Merrill, a pharmaceutical company. It was at this point where she developed a taste for travel. As a member of the Volkswagen Club of America, she traveled to Europe, enjoying VW car rallies in Greece, Germany, and other European countries.
When Liz returned to the states from her travels, she was focused on leaving New York for the west coast, where she landed in San Francisco and joined Blue Cross/Blue Shield as a customer service representative. She met her first husband, Jim McNair, a retired Air Force major, in San Francisco, and they married, settling in Gresham, Oregon. Liz and Jim’s first and only child, Philip McNair, was born in 1971. Over time, they and Liz’s parents moved to southwest Portland, closer to Liz’s extended family (an aunt, uncle, and cousins). This marriage ended after many years.
In 1988, Liz met Robert Van Blaricom, a long-haul truck driver. They shared a common interest in square dancing and joined a square dance club, traveling to different parts of Oregon and enjoying this pastime together. They were married in 1994, and Liz gained two sons and two daughters, Bob’s children. In December 2020, at the time of Bob’s passing, Liz and Bob had been married twenty-six years.
Liz is survived by her brother, Hector Zapata (Rita), and her son J. Philip McNair (Rachelle), as well as the Van Blaricom children: Robert, Linda, Mary, and Eric. Liz will also be remembered by a large extended family, including grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A funeral service for Elizabeth will be held Friday, December 16, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Finley Sunset Hills Mortuary, 6801 SW Sunset Hwy, Portland, OR 97225.
Following the funeral service will be a graveside service at 12:00 PM at the adjacent Sunset Hills Memorial Park.
Donations may be made in Liz's name to Petros Network, https://petrosnetwork.org.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.finleysunsethills.com for the van Blaricom family.
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