Maria Teresa Korp

Maria T. Korp, aka Maria Teresa Tamayo Reyes de Korp, died in Tucson, AZ on March 20, 2013 at the age of 89 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She is survived by daughters Gisela Korp, (Chile) Annemarie Korp (Tucson) and son Willy Korp (Phoenix). She is also going to be missed by 9 granddaughters: Karen Cunliffe Van Houten, Jocelyn Cunliffe, Summer Reding, Tiffany Hodge, Natalia Addison, Crystal and Kelsey Korp. She also leaves 7 great granchildren Cameron, Kalina, Cole, Ava, Israel, Jonny from Tucson, Daniel from Chile and Annika from Austin, TX.

Maruja, Vita as she was known by those who love her, was a very elegant, avant-garde, scholarly and joyful woman. Her wise, timely advice and integrity will be her legacy.

Maria T. Korp, died in Tucson, AZ on March 20, 2013 at the age of 89 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She leaves behind a close-knit family who loved her.

She was born in Iquique, Chile. She was an only child and soon demonstrated what would be her life-long passions for learning and education, travel, philanthropy, community involvement, socializing and family. She was a vibrant energetic person whose energy filled the room.

She began her career as a teenage teacher in Iquique, where she taught elementary school and later taught English. She continued her education in teaching, business administration, accounting, nursing, concluding with a Bachelors Degree in Business administration in 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona where she resided at the time. She and her husband Rolf Korp, moved the family to Arizona in 1971 where she began a new life.

During her life she worked as a teacher in Chile and Arizona; as a nurse with the Chilean Red Cross and at Scottsdale Memorial Hospital; as a securities sales-person in Santiago Chile, and a cosmetics sales-person in Scottsdale, and as a business administrator for the Scottsdale Police Department, and the Scottsdale City Court, and as a Certified Trainer for Court Interpreters.

She loved to be involved in social and community groups, and felt it was her duty to help others, and to participate in the political process. She volunteered for many charitable organizations, such as the Red Cross, Rotary Auxiliary Ladies, and Children’s Home in La Serena, Chile. She often wrote for the local newspaper as an editorial contributor, and as a correspondent for “El Imparcial” of Sonora, Mexico.

She was a devout Catholic, and attended mass regularly. She applied the teachings of her religion to teaching her children about every-day life situations. She had a strong moral and ethical character.

Socializing came naturally for her, and she enjoyed hosting parties with good food and music. Dancing was one of her passions, and she danced until well into her seventies.

Most of all she left a legacy of caring, which is now a way of life for her family.

She is survived by daughters Gisela, (Chile) Annemarie (Tucson) and son Willy (Phoenix). She is also going to be missed by 7 granddaughters: Karen Cunliffe Van Houten, Jocelyn Cunliffe, Summer Reding, Tiffany Hodge, Natalia Addison, Crystal Korp and Kelsey Korp. She also leaves 9 great granchildren Cameron, Kalina, Cole, Israel, Ava, Jonny in Tucson, Daniel in Chile and Annika in Austin, Texas.

Maria Teresa Tamayo-Reyes de Korp, was her full married name. Maruja, and Vita, as she was known by those who love her, was a very elegant, avant-garde, scholarly and joyful woman. Her wise and timely advice is her legacy.