Carmen Ann Del Re Minervini died on Saturday, Dec. 9.
Carmen was born Aug. 11, 1929, in Hollywood, California, to southern Italian immigrant parents. She was the oldest of two children who grew up in Westwood, California, in a close Catholic community.
Carmen became a Theta Phi Alpha at UCLA where she studied psychology and Italian with dreams of working as a detective. While at UCLA she met her husband, Joseph Minervini, who was attending Loyola University. They married and raised five children in Malibu/Pacific Palisades. Carmen turned down a job offer with the FBI to raise her family.
Carmen was a loving, generous and kind mother who enjoyed conversation with all who engaged her. After raising her children, she became involved and passionate about teaching natural family planning, both at Cedars-Sinai and through the Catholic church.
Her dedication and joy to giving back to her community led her to the inner city where she became a teacher/counselor at Figueroa Street Elementary School. In her retirement, she continued her affection for volunteer services and became a Eucharistic minister at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. This was one of her most fulfilling rolls later in life.
Her greatest pleasures were her five grandchildren, playing the piano, taking care of her hummingbirds, long walks on the beach, feeling connected to God, the opera, theatre, music and dancing.
She will be incomparably missed, but her light will be with us always.
She is survived by her five children, John, Loretta, Gina, Lisa and Michael (wife Wendy), and her grandchildren, Maximo, Carter, Alexander, Mia and Gianni.
Services will be held at Saint Paul the Apostle Church at 10750 Ohio Ave. in Los Angeles at 2 p.m. on Jan. 12. A reception will be held at Saint Paul’s after services.
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