Carmen Rosalia Crespo

Carmen Rosalia Crespo passed away peacefully in her home on January 12, 2026 after nearly an 8 year journey with Alzheimer’s disease. Throughout her journey she remained appreciative of her loving family and friends and always expressed gratitude for the blessed life she lived.

Carmen was born in Escuintla, Guatemala, on April 18, 1943, to the late Alfonso and Zoila Castro. She was the third oldest of 6 sisters and one brother. She attended school until the 6th grade and then focused on helping her parents with ranch chores and helping care for her siblings.

She met her late husband, Jorge Arturo Crespo, in Guatemala and married in 1966 where they had two sons, Jorge Roberto Crespo and Ricardo Arturo Crespo. Her husband immigrated to the United States first in 1968. Carmen and her two sons followed in 1969, choosing San Jose, CA as their home to be near her sisters that arrived earlier.

Carmen was always hard working. She first volunteered at Goss Elementary school later being hired as a teacher’s assistant with the district for approximately 4 years. She worked at Del Monte cannery with her sister Teresa for many years as a seasonal worker, many of them on the night shift, so that she could care for her children throughout the day. From San Jose, the family then moved to Campbell in 1986. After losing her husband that same year, she put herself through school to learn micro-assembly. She worked as a micro electronic assembler for approximately 10 years while doing side work as a private investigator and at Del Taco, always ensuring her family was cared for. In 2004 she moved to Phoenix, AZ to care for her mother. She retired but continued to work selling Avon with her sisters and working part-time for a family friend’s chicken wing restaurant, Long Wong’s.

No matter where she lived, Carmen’s house was always open to all, the same as her heart. She never turned anyone away that needed a place to stay and made sure all were well fed. And that was not only true for humans but animals as well. She loved to feed the birds or any other strays that showed up. She was like the urgent care clinic for the local stray cats and the cats knew it. They spread the word, healing many stray cats that would show up to her door. You can always find her in the kitchen singing, whistling and dancing while cooking, asking if you were hungry and getting a plate even if you weren’t. Some of her hits were My Sharona, That’s The Way I Like it, These Boots are Made for Walkin’ and anything Elvis! It was her happy place, even during the not so happy moments of life, singing and dancing would always help her through the trying times.

Carmen was predeceased by her parents, her husband; her sisters, Maria de Jesus (Jesu) Devere, Eugenia (Sheny) Portillo, Teresa (Tere) Aiello and Marta (Marty) Azcona

She is survived by her sister Amparo (Payo) Estrada; brother Alfonso (Poncho) Castro; her three children; six grandchildren and three great grandchildren and many loving cousins, nieces and nephews.

Services will be held on:

Wednesday, February 4th, 2026

Oak Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park

300 Curtner Avenue, San Jose, CA

Viewing will be from 9-11 with a mass to follow in the main chapel of the funeral home. A graveside ceremony will take place around 12 pm with food and refreshments to follow in the reception room at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a her favorite charity, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.