Rosa Emilia Argueta

She has been reunited in Heaven with her brother, Juan Ramon Melgar Aparicio.

The oldest of eleven children, she was born on the 13th of May, 1966 in Jocoro, Morazán, El Salvador to Carlos Alberto Melgar and Rosa Emilia Aparicio de Melgar.

Growing up in El Salvador with her family, Rosa attended primary school and college there, and she was awarded a General Bachelor’s Degree. When Rosa was 32, she decided to move to the United States, and in 1998 she settled in New York. Rosa immediately sought out a job in her new country, and she soon found work at Senor Cafe in Freeport. Senor Cafe turned out to be a great blessing for Rosa because it brought her Jose, a frequent cafe patron and the wonderful man who would soon become her husband and the father of her children.

Rosa and Jose welcomed their first child, their precious daughter, Rosa Fatima Argueta Melgar in November of 1999, and a little over four years later, in March of 2004, their cherished son Anthony Alberto Argueta Melgar was born. While their children were young, Rosa happily stepped into the role of doting, stay-at-home Mom. Over the years, her motherly roles changed slightly; she eventually went back to work after the family moved to Charlotte in 2004, but she eagerly embraced new roles as they came: she was her daughter’s favorite shopping partner on their Saturday trips to Marshalls, her son’s loudest cheerleader at every soccer game, and she was the patient and caring protector, always waiting up to make sure her kids got home safe before she went to sleep.

Rosa loved her children fiercely, supported them always, and never failed to go above and beyond to celebrate their achievements. She was overjoyed when her daughter graduated high school and then college, and she was incredibly proud of her son, who will be graduating from high school in the coming weeks. Although she wanted more than anything to get to see him walk across the stage, she was so happy just to know that he would soon be an accomplished graduate as well.

In Charlotte, Rosa worked at a Rite Aid Factory, formerly Eckerd, for nine years. In early 2017, she altered course and began working as a Planter at Metrolina Greenhouses in Huntersville, where she truly thrived. Rosa had a natural green thumb and loved planting in her own garden at home, so she was delighted to channel that passion into her work as well.

Aside from planting, Rosa was also an impressive cook, and she especially enjoyed cooking for the people she loved. When her brother, Carlos, and sister-in-law, Griselda, would make the night time drive down to visit from New York, she would stay up until the early morning hours so she could greet them with fresh papusas when they arrived.

Rosa was happiest spending time with her dog, Chena, or working in her garden. Her love of sunflowers, cooking, yard sales, and her children were present every day and made her who she was.

Strong, resilient, compassionate, loving, outspoken, and opinionated, Rosa was an extraordinary and dynamic woman. After coming to the United States, she worked hard every single day and made her own version of the American Dream. She loved hard, she made everyone feel at home, and she was the true embodiment of what it means to be strong and to never give up. A treasured wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend, Rosa will be missed beyond measure and loved forever.

Those left to honor Rosa’s memory include her loving parents, Carlos Alberto Melgar and Rosa Emilia Aparicio de Melgar; her beloved husband of 22 years, Jose Antonio Argueta; her amazing children, Rosa Fatima Argueta Melgar and Anthony Alberto Argueta Melgar; her siblings, Carlos Melgar and his wife, Griselda, Veronica Melgar, Carolina Melgar, Rosemary Melgar, Dora Melgar, Eunice Melgar, Delores Melgar, Antonio Melgar, Amalia Melgar, and Jasmine Melgar; her brothers-in-law, Jose Abdon Argueta and his wife, Isabel Cruz, and Leonidas Argueta; her nieces and nephews, Ivan Melgar, Carlos Melgar, Wilbert Argueta, Erika Argueta, Jennifer Argueta, Maribel Umanzor, Stephanie Argueta, Melanie Argueta, and Kaylee Argueta; her daughter’s godmother and great friend, Celia Zetino; as well as countless other prized family members and friends, and everyone else who helped care for her when she needed it most.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from 5:00pm until 7:00pm on Tuesday, the 31st of May, 2022 at Forest Lawn West Funeral Home, 4601 Freedom Drive in Charlotte. The funeral service is to be conducted at 7:00pm, immediately following the visitation, in the Paul Helton Chapel at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Rosa’s memory to the Levine Cancer Institute at Atrium Health or to the Cancer Center General Fund at Novant Health.