Erlina S. Villaverde

Erlina S. Villaverde, 80, of Wilmington, DE passed away peacefully on March 27, 2020 at her home surrounded by her family.

She was born in a small town called Papaya in Nueva Ecija Province, Philippines on June 26, 1939, to the late Pedro and Laura Serrano. She is survived by her husband Miguel Villaverde and her two sons Cris Villaverde and his wife Sharon, Michael Villaverde and his wife Anna, her four grandchildren Andrew, Antony, Emma, and Sarah. She is also survived by her two sisters Lilian Mangulabnan and Emily Bernardo along with numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Erlina graduated from the University of Santo Thomas in 1958 with a degree in nursing and from New York University in 1971 with a Master of the Arts in education. Afterwards, she embarked on a long and fulfilling career in nursing where she served in numerous hospitals in different capacities such as manager, coordinator and educator.

Along with the love of her family and career, Erlina loved to travel and was able to span the globe reaching hundreds of destinations rich with culture and diversity. Due to her love of the water and ocean she reached many of these destinations by cruise ship where she enjoyed the vibrant settings with her husband, family, and friends. If she was not on the water cruising or vacationing she enjoyed her time fishing but she was most famous for her lumpia (Filipino eggrolls) that people devoured within minutes after they were put on the table.

Erlina was a selfless person who always did things for other people instead of herself. Her infectious smile captivated everyone she met, even while she was undergoing her treatments. She courageously fought cancer with dignity for twenty one years and was an inspiration to us all.

Due to the COVID 19 outbreak a memorial service will be held at St Joe’s on the Brandywine on a date that has yet to be announced. There will be more information to follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Erlina S. Villaverde to the Helen Graham Cancer Center at 4701 Ogletown Stanton Rd, Newark, De 19713 or Delaware Hospice at Delawarehospice.org. The family is especially grateful to Dr. Jamal Misleh and the entire staff at the Helen Graham Cancer Center who helped give Erlina many years of extra life and the staff at Delaware Hospice for their compassionate care.