Obituary of Teresita Igharas Luna

Teresita, who many knew as "Tess", was Mother Nature personified. With two green thumbs and a mother's touch, she built an oasis in the desert and sowed into our hearts the most resilient seeds of love. Love and resilience. That is the beautiful legacy she left with us after a 2-year journey with ovarian/colon cancer. Finally finding peace, Tess passed away on the night of September 14th, 2018, in her Las Vegas home (also known as "the Oasis"). She was blessed with 69 years in this world and her spirit continues to live on through her husband Joven; her children Ferdinand, Irene, Jennifer and Teejay; and her four-legged angels, Mochi and Pia. To share the story of Tess is to tell the epic tale of the resilient spirit and a very full life. In a nutshell, Tess was a tiny Filipina who's spirit was, in contrast, very big and VERY Italian. With hopes to better provide for her family in the Philippines, she emigrated to Italy and humbly worked as a housekeeper, bar tender, and a colorful variety of jobs just to keep that hope alive -- an all-too-familiar story of the courageous immigrant. She eventually brought to life her dream of coming to the United States and found love, built her foundation, fully supported her family, and walked through that wide-open door of opportunities. However, she still proudly proclaimed to be an "Italiana". Life was her greatest teacher and anybody who crossed paths with her experienced the wisdom and compassion that resulted from such lessons. If they were lucky, Tess would share a colorful story or two that would conjure a good laugh and leave a sense of awe. And if they were really, REALLY lucky, they would have had a chance to spend time in her oasis-of-a-backyard, eating the best Filipino dishes in the world. Above all, it was her love -- shaped and strengthened through her unshakeable faith with God -- that we'll continue to feel and grow in our hearts. To celebrate the beautiful life and resilient spirit of Tess -- and to maybe share their own story or two -- family and friends are welcome to come together at her "Viewing" this Friday, September 21st and at her "Church Memorial Service & Mass" the following Saturday, September 22nd. Detailed information for each event is below. Please, join us. Her final resting place will be at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada. Thank you and God bless. Viewing Date: Friday, September 21 Time: Anytime between 4:00pm - 7:00pm Location: Kraft-Sussman Funeral Services – 3975 South Durango Drive, Suite 104, Las Vegas, NV 89147 Church Memorial Service & Mass Date: Saturday, September 22nd Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm Location: St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church – 315 S Casino Center Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89101 "If we pray, we will believe; If we believe, we will love; If we love, we will serve." –Mother Teresa