Elena Aurora Vargas Villalobos

Elena Aurora Vargas Villalobos, age 78, of Arlington, VA passed away on Thursday, April 29, 2021. Elena passed away peacefully at her home after an unexpected resurgence of cancer. Elena was born on September 15, 1942 in San Jose, Costa Rica. September 15th – is the Independence Day of her home country! Celebrated with large school parades, marching bands, children dressed in folkloric outfits, and sometimes with nighttime celebrations with “farolitos”. During most of her adult life Elena lived and worked at the Inter-American Bank for Development. She loved her work and prided herself on improving her skills and education. Never shy of taking on challenges she continued to pursue formal and informal education throughout her life. Elena loved to travel, often returning to her home country to enjoy the company of friends and family, the natural beauty of the land, as well as local treats such as tamales, arroz con pollo, and good coffee (of course!). She traveled to Europe, and fell in love with Greece. Most recently, Hawaii was prime spot for vacation for her. The charm of the islands filled her with immense joy. She liked the beach, the food, and the people in Hawaii. She appreciated the warmth of the religious community in Honolulu, in particular the Catholic church In Waikiki. Elena also loved her pets; her most recent companion, Gracie, is a gorgeous ginger cat, now under the care of a good friend. Her garden, especially her tulips, irises, and many other flower plantings provided a lovely sight to all walking around the neighborhood surrounding her beautiful home in Barton Street. Her arrival into this world happened on a day filled with happiness, national pride, good food, and a sense of liberty and hope about your own destiny, and we want to bid farewell with the same sense of joy that was present at her birthday. We will be holding a visitation for Elena on Monday, May 10, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM at Murphy Funeral Homes, 4510 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22203. Following the visitation will be a graveside service from 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM at National Memorial Park, 7482 Lee Highway, Falls Church, VA 22042. You are welcome to come pay your respects to a lovely lady with a beaming smile, and an equally lovely heart. If you would like to honor her life please contribute to your local animal shelter, or if you would like to donate to a charity organization helping strays in Costa Rica, you may consider Territorio de Zaguates, https://territoriodezaguates.com, which can also be added to your charity support on Amazon Smile. We would like to extend our special thanks to the staff of Goodheart care and their lovely caregivers for the compassion and devotion they showed to Elena and her family. We are also eternally grateful to Julia, Juan Carlos, Gilma, Jacquelin, Ana Maria, Messi, Sherri, Vera, Mr. Bell, Judy and Arthur, for all their support throughout Elena’s life and final months. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.murphy-funeralhomes.com for the Vargas Villalobos family.