Nieves de la Reguera

Nieves de la Reguera (“Niva” to friends, “Mimi” to family), beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother, went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. She was 94 years old.

Niva was born in Sada, La Coruña, Spain on April 26, 1930 to Edward and Laura (Diaz) Barreiro. When she was 12 years old, her family immigrated to the United States where they all became U.S. citizens. On December 29, 1951, she married Luis de la Reguera at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in New York City. They moved to Dallas, Texas in the early 60’s where Luis was Regional Sales Manager for Iberia Air Lines of Spain, and Niva worked in Accounting at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. She had a long, fulfilling career with Blue Cross making many friends and earning numerous awards while employed there.

Throughout their life, Luis and Niva traveled the world extensively with SKAL International, the world’s largest global network of Tourism Professionals of which Luis became President in 1975-1976. Their travels took them to Europe, Mexico, Central and South America, Asia and the Middle East. In addition to travel, SKAL introduced them to numerous dignitaries, Hollywood personalities and sports figures several of whom became family friends.

In 1997 after 34 years of service, Niva retired from Blue Cross and Blue Shield. After retirement, her life was filled with volunteering and participating in activities at the Farmers Branch Senior Center. Through 2020, she was a candy striper first, at UT Southwestern Medical Center and later, at Dallas Medical Center in Farmers Branch. In addition, Niva helped at the Metrocrest Food Pantry, and visited her local grocery store weekly picking up day old bread and pastries and delivering them to senior centers. At the Farmers Branch Senior Center, she was an avid Bridge player, playing several times a week and also played and taught Pinochle there.

Niva loved life. She loved to laugh, travel, read and play games. She was kind and generous and never met a stranger. Niva especially loved her family and went on many family vacations with her grandchildren to the beaches of Florida, mountains of New Mexico, Disney World and Six Flags. She was always ready to play Uno, Pictionary, Yahtzee, Dominoes or any other game that her grandchildren wanted. Her great grandchildren were an extra delight to her and, although advanced in age, she treasured spending time with them and loved them dearly.

Niva is preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Laura Barreiro; her brother, Edward Barreiro, Jr.; and her daughter, Margaret de la Reguera.

She is survived by her daughter, Elia Dunne and her husband Pat; grandson, Patrick, Jr. and his wife Jessica; granddaughter, Laura; and her great grandchildren, Sterling, Samuel, Palmer, Isabel and Lydia.

A “Celebration of Life” service will be held on Friday, 10/25, at 10 a.m. at Watermark Community Church in the Chapel on the second floor, 7540 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas, 75251.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Dementia Society of America (www.dementiasociety.org), Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (www.komen.org ), or Watermark Community Church (www.watermark.org).