Elinora Chavira passed away on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 in San Mateo, California after a decades-long battle with multiple sclerosis. Beloved by all who knew her, she passed away peacefully, surrounded by her children, brother, and sister at the age of 75.
Born in 1946 in El Paso, Texas, Nora was the youngest child of Efrain and Emma Grijalva. She grew up in Fabens, Texas with her sister, Edna and her brother, Efrain, Jr. Nora graduated from Fabens High School where she was a cheerleader and homecoming queen and lettered in volleyball, basketball, and track. After high school she attended the University of Texas at El Paso before starting a family.
She married Raul Chavira, Sr. in 1967 and had five children - Melissa, Edna, Ernie, Patricia, and Raul Jr. (Roger). She instilled a love of reading in her children and, before learning to drive, would take all five on the bus to check out stacks of books from the local library. Nora worked in the personnel office of the City of El Paso for many years. While working full-time she somehow managed to attend numerous games of soccer, volleyball, baseball, basketball, football, track meets, plays, and Girl Scout meetings, and for years provided baked goods for PTA fundraisers and classroom parties.
Nora was a resilient woman with a wry sense of humor. Although an introvert at times, she loved to laugh and visit with friends. She was a kind and sweet natured person with a stubborn streak when it came to defending the things that were important to her.
Her greatest love and source of pride was her family and she enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, siblings, and nephews. She spent a year in Albuquerque before moving with her children to the San Francisco Bay area in 2002. Through the years, she traveled with family to Sonoma, Mendocino, Monterey, and the surrounding Bay Area counties.
She is survived by her sister and brother, Edna Lopez and Efrain Grijalva Jr.; son and daughters, Melissa Chavira and Matt Connors of Dublin, Ireland, Edna Chavira and Todd Santos of San Carlos, California, Patricia Chavira and Antonio Alarcon of Redwood City, California, and Roger and Kristin Chavira of Houston, Texas; and grandchildren Jett and Kyle Chavira. She was preceded in death by her parents Efrain and Emma, brother-in-law Rene Lopez, nephew Michael Lopez, and her son, Ernie Chavira.
Visitation will be held for family and friends on Friday, November 19th at Crestview Funeral Home, 1462 N Zaragoza Road, from 6:00-8:00 pm with a Rosary at 6:30 pm. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, November 20th at 11:00 am at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 131 S. Zaragoza Road. Interment to follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery, 401 S. Zaragoza Road, on Saturday, November 20th at 12:00 pm.
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