Irma Vargas Sánchez
Irma Vargas Sánchez, a pioneer in lakeside’s real estate sector, passed away on Thursday, August 29, at the age of 72.
Irma and her husband, Enrique Rojas Maldonado, founded Vistas Realty in 1979, making it the third real estate agency in the Chapala area. The couple was already established locally as the proprietors of the Chula Vista Hotel and Restaurant, which they opened when the surrounding subdivision was still in its early development stages.
Born in Guadalajara on April 8, 1952, Irma had deep family roots in Chapala. She was the granddaughter of María Guadalupe Nuño Viuda de Sánchez, the renowned restaurateur credited with inventing the spicy tequila chaser known as Sangrita.
Irma was not only a savvy entrepreneur in the hospitality and real estate industries but also a discreet and empathetic philanthropist. She had a soft spot for rescuing stray dogs and was dedicated to helping local families in need of food, clothing, and housing.
Her children, Cristina and Enrique Jr., remember her as a devoted mother and a highly disciplined woman who effortlessly balanced household responsibilities and business tasks, despite suffering from fragile health from an early age. In her mid-twenties, she received a kidney transplant from her mother, which extended her life by more than four decades.
Later in life, as she faced other health challenges, Irma passed the reins of the real estate agency—now rebranded as Century 21 AccessMex—to her children.
Irma was preceded in death by her husband in November 2007. She is survived by her two children and four grandchildren.
Funeral services were held last weekend in Guadalajara, and her ashes will be laid to rest beside her husband in the crypts at Chapala’s San Francisco Parish.