Obituary of Elsa Helene Alvarado

Elsa H. Alvarado, a resident of Ashburn, VA, passed away peacefully on Thursday, the 17th of July 2014 at home; surrounded by her beloved family. Born in 1928 to the late Emil and Adleheid Schindler in Vienna, Austria, she was the only girl in a family of 3 boys (Walter, Emil "Buvi" and Willie). Although tiny in stature, she was always feisty and determined. As a teenager she took care of her ailing mother and younger brother during the Nazi occupation of Austria during WWII. She was fiercely proud of her Austrian heritage and although she would leave Austria as an adult, it would always remain her treasured homeland. At the end of WWII, Elsa met her husband Ralph outside a soda shop in the American Sector of Vienna and thus began a true love affair that lasted 65 years. She and Ralph married in Vienna in November 1953 and soon after moved to Illinois. She was a long time resident of Glen Ellyn, IL where she happily raised her children, tended her home and garden and made lifelong friends. She had a long and fulfilling career with Metropolitan Life Insurance as a Dental Claims Regional Manager retiring in 1993 after 20 years of service. She and Ralph retired to Chandler, AZ in 1998 and enjoyed 14 wonderful years with their children and grandchildren. She took advantage of all that Arizona had to offer and spent much time with her family, especially her grandchildren in parks, on hikes and in the pool. In 2012 Elsa and Ralph moved to Ashburn, VA to live with their daughter Heidi and her family. Elsa spent her final years enjoying her five cherished rescue cats, relaxing in dual recliners beside her doting husband and watching the seasonal changes, wildlife and birds in the woods behind her home. Her family remained her number one priority to her very last day. Elsa loved to cook and she was an exceptionally good chef. Her homemade meals were well known and enjoyed by all whoever sat at her kitchen table. Elsa was happiest with her family around the table enjoying a good meal and each other's company. She loved sharing stories and memories over a glass of German wine. She was a nurturer to the core and found great fulfillment in taking care of her family, friends, pets, and gardens. Her grandchildren were her other passion and they brought her great joy. She was proud to see all her grandchildren graduate from high school and her youngest head off to college. She was the most affectionate and caring "Oma" and her grandchildren are blessed with lifelong memories and a loving legacy they will pass on to future generations. She was an adoring and caring wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She was kind and generous to all who met her; welcoming all with a warm embrace. Her sweet smile and beautiful twinkling blue eyes were windows to her loving and tender soul. She is survived by her devoted husband of 60 years Ralph J. Alvarado, her daughter Heidi (Alvarado Mahoney), son-in-law Gerry Mahoney, and grandchildren Liam and Emma Mahoney all of Ashburn, VA, grandson Raphael Paul Alvarado of Chandler, AZ, and a brother Wilhelm (Helga)Schindler of Vienna, Austria. She is preceded in death by her brothers Walter and Emil and her dear son Raphael Walter. A funeral mass will be held at St. Petronille in Glen Ellyn, Illinois on Sep 13, 2014 at 10:00 a.m., immediately followed by a luncheon to celebrate her life at the Maryknoll Park Clubhouse also in Glen Ellyn. Memorial gifts may be made to the Michael J. Fox's Foundation for Parkinson's Research or National Parkinson Foundation, in honor of Elsa's courageous battle against the disease.