Maria Lina Alvarez Guzman made her last gesture of life in the company of her children on November 4, 2020, the 66th year of her life. Lina was a beloved mother, grandmother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend. She lived a life filled with deep ebbs and splendid flows; a life truly lived. 

Lina was born in Cavite, Philippines as the third child and first daughter to Julieta and Rosauro Guzman. She was an identical twin sister to Tita and sister to Nilo, Toto, Liza, and Amor. Despite the distance, Lina maintained a close relationship with her siblings and her many adoring nieces and nephews, for whom she has been more than just an aunt, but also a loving and dependable friend.

Lina was a deeply loving and dedicated single mother to her four children Demilyn, Wilborn, Marvin, and Joyce. Her lack of concern for being a conventional mother is one that only made her unique and special to her children. She was a fearless mother of action, not words. A mother always doing what she can and working the hardest she could. A mother who soldiered on through any obstacle she was faced with; a provider, in every sense of the word.

In the winter of 1992, Lina immigrated to the US with her four children. She made the sacrifice of leaving her siblings and parents - the only world she knew - for an opportunity to better provide for them and to pave the way for a better future for her children. She was a woman of constant progress, always doing, always working and because she didn’t opt for the easy way she sharpened her skills and single-handedly built a life for her and her children in a new country.

She had a strong dedication to her family, her patients, and humanity. She had an impeccable work ethic as a committed nurse; a career she knew she wanted even in her adolescence (despite her mother’s wishes). Lina’s devotion was not only reserved to family. Her vehement devotion to faith only grew amid her tribulations.

Her generosity and deep consideration for others were all testaments to her character. Before coming to the states Lina was a school nurse in the province of La Union, Philippines. Her 1990 Luzon earthquake experience is an instance in which she risked her life to ensure the safety of all the children and teachers of her school. One teacher, in a panic, froze during this disaster and Lina, noticing a cabinet ready to fall, immediately pulled the teacher away from the cabinet’s landing and saved her from an unfortunate outcome. Lina braved the things most of us consider difficult. Her intrepid approach to life made her notably resilient and inspiring.

Lina loved family gatherings, reunions, and parties with friends (regardless of the age gap). She was daring and up for anything. Drawn to the sound of laughter and to having fun, she would find any opportunity to add to the joy and laughter - sometimes even being at the center of it.

Being a passionate storyteller she is remembered through her countless stories. Some of which were her many mischievous childhood antics (which was always in good fun), her boldness (when she punched a boy for laughing and pointing out her under-preparedness in choir), her extraordinary life in the Philippines with her siblings, or how she mastered her self-taught skills like sewing (she sewed all her children’s clothes in their infancy).

To honor Lina we encourage you to love deeply, just as she has, and truly appreciate all the experiences that arise, both good and bad.
Lina’s unconditional support and genuine love are instilled within her family and those who’ve had the privilege of knowing her. She will forever be in our hearts and always live in our memory. Her courage, love and devotion to faith and family is her legacy.