Maria Mercedes (Mamita) Villarreal Castillo, a resident of Charlestown, entered into eternal life on Tuesday August 13, 2024, at her home with family by her side. She was 89 years of age.
Maria was born on September 12th, 1934, in her native country of Chile to the late Wenceslao Villarreal and Rosa Castillo and lived her early life in La Serena, Chile with her siblings Ines, Ester, Mary, Sole, Nana, Sole, and Manuel.
Maria was an athlete, she began her athletic life while she was in elementary school in the city of Ovalle, Chile; where her superior sporting skills allowed her to be awarded a scholarship to study and play in the city of La Serena, Chile. Following that, she joined the city and regional team, participating in various tournaments held in the country.
Her excellent speed, aim and extraordinary skills allowed her to be nominated on several occasions for the Chilean National Basketball team, having the most outstanding participations in: South American Tournaments in Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, in Pan American Tournaments in Chicago, Panama and Colombia between 1954 and 1963, and in World Championships in Brazil in 1958 and in 1960 in Chile.
She also played for great Chilean teams recognized internationally, such as:
Colo-Colo, who were the national champions in 1957 and 1959, and the Juan Yarur team, a team made up of national teams, who were champions of Chile in the years 1960, 1961 and 1962.
María not only stood out for being a great player, but also performed work duties in the Yarur Company, one of the largest textile companies in the country. She also worked for Soquimich, which was one of the largest nitrate mines in Latin America in the northern part of the country.
Following her basketball career, Maria worked for the Department of Education for many years, and she also earned her Bachelor Degree in Education while working full time.
Maria saw the beauty in everything, flowers, babies, mountains and more. She was very social, and she had a beautiful way of connecting with everyone and approaching everyone she met with kindness and warmth. She never spoke English, but she always found a way to communicate with others.
Travel was a big part of Maria’s life. She traveled every 6 months from Chile to Charlestown, never spending a winter in each country, and sharing her time with her daughters.
Maria retired and not long after she was affected by Alzheimer's disease, she fought a valiant fight, but this disease took everything from her, except her social soul. She was always smiling, and always offering to share her food and love with us.
Maria is the wife of her late husband Oscar Gonzalez Munoz. She is the loving mother to Rosa Gonzalez Villarreal of La Serena, Chile; Julia O’Donnell and her husband Mark Sullivan of Charlestown, and her son, Oscar (Tony) Gonzalez Villarreal, from La Serena, Chile.
She is the dear Grandmother (Mamita) to Rocio Vargas, Paloma Vargas, Gabriela Vargas, Peter O’Donnell, and Hughie O’Donnell. She is also survived by his many loving nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend Maria’s visiting hours on Monday, August 19, 2024, from 4 P.M. to 7 P.M. in The Carr Funeral Home, 220 Bunker Hill Street, Charlestown. Her burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, kindly make a memorial donation in Maria’s (Mamita's) name to:
The Duce Morrissey Scholarship Fund
PO Box 290009
Charlestown, MA 02129