Carlotta A. Lopez

Fortified by the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church, Carlotta Aflague Lopez embraced death on Easter Monday at 4:50PM on April 10, 2023 at her home in Fairfield, Ohio at the seasoned age of 83.

Carlotta was born as the oldest of three children of Juan and Pilar Fegeran in Hagatna, Guam on December 23, 1939. Eventually, she was given the nickname, “Carlene.” She lived on the small Pacific island until she married a naval enlisted cryptologist from northern New Mexico, Richard Manuel Lopez, on December 26, 1958. Carlene and Richard were blessed with three sons: Ralph Michael, Raymond Andrew and Roger Anthony; two daughter in-laws: Ellen and Janet; and two grandchildren: Jacqueline and Brandon. 

Naval life allowed Carlene and Richard to see many places both foreign and domestic. Her curriculum vitae spanned from bookkeeper to restauranter, travel agent to working for her uncle in the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. They loved bowling and dancing. Many parties were hosted by them, filling their house with friends and laughter. They finally settled down, retiring near the emerald coast shores of Pensacola, Florida. It was here where her husband, Richard, died from a heart attack on Holy Saturday, April 18, 1992.

There are a few aspects of Carlene’s life that no one could deny. She was always in the kitchen preparing some scrumptious meals for her family and their friends. Her boys always knew something delicious was coming, hoping either for her fried chicken or lumpia. Second, she loved cleaning - she still had a Kirby vacuum cleaner to the very end. I remember her on her hands and knees scrubbing the floor because “that's how you know the floor is clean” she would say. Next, gardening. She probably spent more time outside than inside, cultivating and caring for her vegetable garden and rose bushes. Carlene loved to cut roses for her Blessed Mother.

Finally, her Catholic faith was central to her being. She volunteered countless hours, cleaning the parish church or working on a festival committee. But it was Jesus Christ in the  Eucharist that was everything to her. In the last months of life, Roger would bring Holy Communion when he visited. She would exclaim after she received the host, “how delicious.” After a fall in November that began her decline, compounded with lung cancer and kidney disease, she made the decision to transition from “fixing” to “preparing.” Roger and her had a saying they would exchange, he would say, “Jesus, come when you are ready.” And she would reply, “Jesus, help me to be ready when you come.” The last few weeks of Carlene’s life encompassed much suffering. And hospice worked tirelessly to manage the ever-growing presence of pain. It was her family, the many home health aides and hospice nurses that helped her carry the cross of bodily torment. In the end, she was ready to meet the Risen Christ!

The Mass of Christian Burial will take place at Saint Clement Catholic Church, 4536 Vine Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217 on Saturday, April 15, 2023 at 11:00AM and can be access via livestream through the parish website at: https://venue.streamspot.com/e2bb2a3b

 A Memorial Mass will take place in Pensacola, Florida in the summer. The interment of the cremains will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks to make a donation in her name to the American Cancer Society at: https://www.cancer.org/