Gladis Rosa Jofré was born in San Rafael Mendoza, Argentina on September 9th, 1932. She was the 3rd daughter born to Pedro Enoé Jofré y Rosa Hipolita Gregoris. Unfortunately, Gladis’ mother passed away when she was 7 years old. Her father moved the family from San Rafael Mendoza to Buenos Aires. Her father was a businessman in Buenos Aires. He transported wines from Mendoza to Buenos Aires. Her father put his 4 daughters in a Catholic boarding school until he was able to get situated. Once they were situated in Buenos Aires, the girls went to an all-girls Catholic school during the day. Carmen Fourtina Cuevas would watch them after school. Gladis and her sisters formed a strong bond and relationship with Carmen Cuevas and her family. Carmen was like a mother to Gladis and her sisters. During the summers, Gladis and her sisters would spend their summer vacations in General Alvear, Argentina with their mothers’ sister, Tía Elena and her husband, Tío Dr. Isaac Faudín. As she got older, when she would go to vacation in General Alvear, she would help her uncle with his patients. Gladis learned a lot about medicine from her Tío Faudín.
After graduating from high school, Gladis went to college and worked for an Engineering firm in Buenos Aires as a secretary. Gladis was very independent, to be able to get around in Buenos Aires, she saved up and bought herself a VESPA, small motorcycle/scooter. At the Engineering firm, Gladis listened to the Engineers speaking about buying and selling stocks at the Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires (BCBA). Gladis was a quick learner and the engineers taught her how to play the stock market. Since women were not allowed to play the stock market in the early 1950’s, Gladis would save her money then give it to the Engineers to play the stock market for her. The earnings she would make from the stock market, she would save for her vacations. With the earnings, she would take herself and her sisters to vacation in Miami, Florida.
On one of her trips to Miami, Gladis met and fell in love with Jorge Enrique (George Henry) Del Rio. When she left Argentina in 1965 for Miami to get married, Gladis left her job at the Engineering firm to her older sister, Emma Jofré.
George and Gladis were married in Miami, Florida on August 19th, 1965. They lived in Miami until 1967, when they moved to Silver Lake, in Los Angeles, California. George worked as a butcher at Farmer Johns. On September 16th, 1968, they welcomed a son, Pedro (Pete) Demetrio Del Rio.
In 1970, they decided to move to Argentina. They lived with Gladis’ father in Chacabuco, Buenos Aires. George owned his own mechanic shop. In 1974, they moved back to Silver Lake, in Los Angeles, California. George went back to working at Farmers Johns as a butcher. Although Gladis moved back to the United States, she traveled to Argentina every summer with her son, Pete to visit her sisters Emma Porcisio Jofré, Maria Aurora Degastaldi and Elena Santina de Brito and their families; brother-in-law Mario de Brito, her nephew Eduardo de Brito, and her nieces Alejandra de Brito, Carolina de Brito and Rosamaria Degastaldi.
They moved to Eagle Rock, in Los Angeles, California in 1976. Gladis became a teacher’s aide and worked at Fletcher Drive Elementary School. In addition, she also worked as a yard duty aide. Gladis loved to have friends and family over her house. While living in Eagle Rock, one of George’s best friends, Reynaldo Hevia and his two daughters Jasmin Hevia and Natasha Hevia would visit Gladis and her family during the weekends. Gladis loved Jasmin and Natasha as if they were her own daughters. In 1976, Gladis’ best friend Mercedes (Mecha) Dominguez Cuevas from Argentina decided to move to the United States with her family. In 1979, Mercedes and her family, Felix Dominguez, Gabriel Dominguez, Pablo Dominguez, Santiago Dominguez and Carmen Dominguez moved to Big Bear California. Gladis loved to go to Big Bear with her family to visit Mecha and her family. They would drive up on a Friday evening and drive back on Sunday evening. This became a weekend ritual. If they were not in Big Bear, they were eating at El Colmao every Friday, a Cuban restaurant or in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico visiting Pete’s godparents, Doctor Gabriel Cuervo and family.
In 1976, Gladis met Martha Alicia Diamante and her family. Martha was married to Alfredo Pecero and had two children, Gigi Diamante and Norman Pecero. Gladis and Martha immediately became best friends. Their families would go on vacations together to Yosemite National Park, camping at Big Bear Lake and Piru Lake, and even took a trip to Mexico together. They would sit for hours drinking matte and playing canasta at each other’s home.
In 1981, Gladis and George were divorced. Gladis continued working in the Los Angeles Unified School District. During this time, Mecha had moved to Sacramento California. Gladis and her son, Pete would travel once or twice a month to Sacramento to visit Mecha and her family. In 1986, Gladis moved to Miami and her son Pete moved in with his dad in Los Angeles. During her stay in Miami, she stayed with her very good friend Noemi Helver and family. Her husband, Carlos Helver and their daughter Sandra Helver. Gladis returned to Los Angeles in 1989. In 1990, Gladis began studying Reiki and became a certified Reiki Practitioner and Hypnotherapist. In 1995 she opened her own Hypnotherapy clinic with a couple of friends. She enjoyed helping her friends and family by performing Regressions and fixing their Chakras.
In 1994, she welcomed her first grandchild. Andrea Rosanna Del Rio born on April 9th, 1994. In 1996, she welcomed her second grandchild. Alejandra Carolina Del Rio was born on March19th, 1996. They would love going over to her apartment to help her make empanadas, chimichurri, and her famous pasta with shrimp. She was always so attentive, she would never let you serve yourself or pick up your plate, she would always serve you and ask you if you wanted seconds. She taught Alejandra how to knit. She was very proud of her granddaughters.
In 2000, she moved into Pilgrim Tower in Pasadena. She had great friends she always spoke about. Some of her closest friends were Rosamaria, Celina, and Lidia. She always spoke about the great times they had going to lunch and visiting the Self-Realization Fellowship in Mount Washington. They would spend time seeing the gardens and meditating. In 2004, Gladis was diagnosed with dementia. She continued to live on her own until 2012. In 2012, she moved in with her son, Pete and his family to Burbank, California. During the time she lived with her family in Burbank, her dementia (Alzheimer’s) progressed. In 2015, she had to be moved into a Convalescent home. Gladis lived at Burbank Rehabilitation & Convalescent for 4 years until September 20th, 2019.
Gladis Rosa Del Rio is survived by her son, Pete Del Rio, her 2 granddaughters, Andrea and Alejandra Del Rio and her daughter-in-law, Xiomara Aimée Otero.
Gladis Jofré was a great humanitarian, a healer and friend as she loved to comfort and listen to everyone. A great mother, and a proud grandmother of two. She loved to read, crochet and knit. She liked to listen to all different types of music. Her favorites were tangos by Carlos Gardel. Her favorite music artists were Julio Iglesias, José José, Rocio Durcal, Mercedes Sosa, Camilo Sesto, Placido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli, and Los Panchos. May she rest in eternal peace.
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