Elsa Espinoza

Elsa “Sasa” A. Cervantes, 76, of Chuquibamba, Arequipa, Peru, passed away on Thursday, January 19, 2017, at Arlington Capital Hospice, after a courageous battle with cancer. In 1975, she and her first husband, Pedro Espinoza, opened the first Peruvian restaurant in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. She owned and operated several restaurants for over 40 years. In 2010, she was awarded the Comendador Medal - Al Merito Por Servicios Distinguidos por El Restaurante de El Chalan, from El Presidente de la Repulica de PERU. In the last few days that Elsa was with us, she was surrounded by so much love and affection. Elsa was an incredible person that loved spending time with her family and friends. Even through her difficult and tiring fight with leukemia, Elsa’s never failed to wear a smile on her face.

Elsa is survived by her loving husband, Juan Carlos Castro; her daughter Violeta Davey (husband Glenn Davey); her son Pedro Espinoza (wife Sara Espinoza); four siblings (Corina Velarde, Jose Fernandez, Mery Aurora Cervantez Vdea de Cabrera, and Amalia Warren); four grandchildren (Brittany Davey, Nicole Davey, Carolina Espinoza, and Pedro Nicolas “Nico” Espinoza).

The viewing will take place on Tuesday, January 24, 2017, from 2:00-10:00 PM at National Memorial Funeral Home, 7482 Lee Highway, Falls Church, VA, 22042. The burial ceremony will begin at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, January 25, 2017, at National Memorial Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (www.lls.org).