Flaviana De Lima Navarrete

Flaviana de Lima Navarrete, 97, born on February 5, 1915, in Kawela, Hawaii, passed away July 8, 2012. She resided in La Canada, California at the time of her passing. Arrangements are under the direction of Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, CA.

Flavia de Lima Navarrete, best known as Nanay or Lola, was born on February 5, 1915 to Dionisio de Lima and Margarita de la Peña in Kawela, Honokaa, a small community on the big island of Hawai'i. She attended The Susannah Wesley School for Girls in Honolulu where her musical talent for the piano laid the foundation for an enduring career in education and instruction. In her late teens she moved to the Philippines and married Nicolas Navarrete; together, they had four children: Robert, Joyce, Nicolas and Wendy.

In 1960, she moved her family to Los Angeles, where she would reside for the rest of her life. She joined the Filipino Christian Church, engaging in a thriving community of first and second generation Filipino- Americans in Los Angeles. With her family, she traveled extensively around the world; owing to her maiden name "de Lima," she counted Portugal and Spain among her favorite countries, along with Singapore and Hong Kong. Her love of gambling was legendary: she would often be found at the race track or en route to Las Vegas on any given weekend. At home, she was a busy cook out of necessity but became a passionate chef through her love, excitement and curiosity for new flavors and cultures.

Age never deterred her. From the 1980s to the present, Flavia continued to enjoy frequent jaunts to the casino and meals out on the town. She took up new hobbies including quilt making, dressmaking for miniature dolls, and refining her skills in the kitchen. She recaptured her youth while helping to raise her three youngest grandchildren, instilling in them her sense of humor, adventure and lust for life. Never one to watch the days pass by, her taste for unique sights and experiences was unquenched until the very end.

On Sunday, July 8, 2012, at the age of 97 years, she peacefully passed away at home surrounded by her closest family. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Ms. Joyce Navarrete and her sister, Mrs. Florence Ibañez. She is survived by her sister, Mrs. Miguela Peñalosa; three children: Mr. Robert Navarrete, Mr. Nicolas Navarrete, Jr. and Mrs. Wendy Constantino; eight grandchildren, ranging in age from 25 to 52 years; ten great-grandchildren, ranging in age from 4 months to 26 years and three great-great grandchildren.